Meeting people like Henrik and hearing them speak about things they're passionate about is always a pleasure. It was definitely worth a 45-minute cab ride in traffic-crazy Yerevan on a Friday afternoon. He touched on some very important nuances in his field; nuances that we've all come across, but never really paid attention to. As Armenia stands at the crossroads of change, it's crucial to amplify voices like Henrik's, as they can alter the course of many things in Armenia for the better.
 

You've lived and built your career across Spain, Colombia, and Norway, what ultimately motivated you to return to Armenia?
 

I grew up in Spain; we moved after the war finished. [Henrik is referring to the first Artsakh war.] I went to university there before moving to Colombia in South America for a year. After that, I came back to Spain and worked there. In 2019, I moved to Norway before the COVID-19 pandemic and worked there until February 2025.

At the time, I was in what we refer to in Spanish as an "impasse." It was a period of my life when I felt kinda lost. So, I thought: "Let's take a break." My boss wasn't very happy with that, haha! But I needed that break. I figured I'd travel a bit and I had that feeling that I needed to be in Armenia.
 

I don't know why I felt that calling. I told myself that this was the right time to do it since I'm single and don't have any attachments. So, I came here. That was my third time in Armenia. I had visited once, when I was 14 or 15, to fix my military papers, and again in 2023, when my papers were clear, and I could visit.
 

The second time I was here, I stayed for two weeks. It was a great experience, and I was shocked because I saw a lot of new things and changes, and a lot of old things that had remained the same in 15, 20 years. [We both chuckle.] The things that surprised me the most were the culture, the music, and the art. I was amazed.
 

I wasn't that interested in music or anything when I returned the first time. But now I am. When I came here, it blew me away that you could attend operas for 8 euros or 10 euros. Or that you could go to a lot of jazz events. And the art…we have so many artists in Armenia. All of this helped me make the decision this time to come and stay longer. But at that time, I was here for two weeks, and I felt a bit lonely because I didn't have any friends here. Obviously, I had my family, but they're older than me. I do have some younger relatives, but I don't connect with them.
 

I don't know if it was fate, chance, or what…but one day I saw an ad on Instagram about Birthright Armenia. It featured a Venezuelan girl whose name I now forget. She was talking about how she was volunteering in Armenia. I thought I might as well volunteer while I'm in the country. I contacted Birthright Armenia, and they said I was too old. Nevertheless, they did welcome me, and I came here to volunteer.
 

How do you think your experience in the Diaspora has shaped the way you approach challenges in Armenia's public healthcare system?
 

I could say that I have the helicopter view. I can see problems in ways that perhaps Armenians in Armenia cannot. That's definitely been helping me. Also, my extensive experience in healthcare in both Spain and Norway is a great asset. I have a mixed approach to things. When I was in Norway, they liked my Spanish approach and vice versa. I remember my boss in Norway telling me that she liked me because I was thinking outside the box. In Spain, we were used to improvising. For example, during COVID, Spain was struggling with protective clothing because they're sort of a "poor" country. That's why they used trash bags as protection.
 

This improvisation mindset helped me in Norway. I gained a lot of experience with efficiency and how to allocate money and resources properly. This mixed approach is now helping me in Armenia.
 

You've worked extensively in pre-hospital emergency care in Norway, what are the key practices from that system that you believe could realistically be adapted in Armenia?
 

Right now, we are working on a project that falls in this category. In Armenia, we have something missing in the healthcare system, called triage. The version we have now is very primitive compared to Scandinavian countries. For example, 80% of ambulance dispatches are allocated to low and middle-level cases that don't need ambulance assistance. 20% are reserved for real emergencies that do need ambulances. That has an annual impact of 4.5 billion AMD on the budget, which is around 10 million USD per year, that we could use in a proper way.
 

A lot of this has a cultural aspect. But it could definitely change now with the new laws that they're implementing. I'm personally not a big fan of certain parts of the law [Henrik is referring to a new law that requires citizens to pay emergency ambulance fees after exhausting the guaranteed 8 free calls per year], but I do approve of the law that requires you to visit a GP if you need medical assistance, after which the GP will refer you to the proper specialist.
 

In Armenia, calling an ambulance has always been free of charge, and people are just used to calling one for any issue. In adult patients, most cases involve high blood pressure. In pediatrics, most cases are related to high fever. Both of these problems can be managed through triage instead of sending an ambulance.
 

Another thing that's missing in Armenia is legal protection for people who work in the ambulance dispatch centers. If such a worker decides not to send an ambulance to you and something happens to you, it could put the worker in a very difficult situation. It would be a huge liability. But if the worker follows the triage, they will receive legal protection.


 

What's one stereotype about working in Armenia's public sector that you've found to be completely untrue?
 

A common myth is that the government is not efficient enough. But I work with some people in the ministry who are the exact opposite. They do an amazing job. Every time I visit the public health division, I can see them breaking a sweat as they run up and down. So, you know, that's one stereotype that's definitely not true.
 

A big part of your background is improving institutional efficiency; aside from what you mentioned earlier, where do you see the biggest gaps or opportunities in Armenia's healthcare system today?
 

I'd go with education. The prime minister also mentioned this in a conference. We should invest in education. Because if we don't learn, we can't change. We need to learn new things. And, since I myself am a nurse, I'd invest in nurses. They're the strongest layer of the healthcare system and are the largest population. We need to invest in them, give them new tools, and teach them new approaches to problems.
 

Many of them are in the 35-40 age demographic and above, which means they were brought up with the Soviet Union system. Perhaps they don't have the funds or the resources to study. We need to create a platform to give them the knowledge they need to perform better. In Yerevan, that might be easy. But it's difficult in the regions.
 

Let's touch a bit on the iGorts Program and policy development. How has the entire experience been, and what have you observed?
 

Well, I can tell you about some of the past 'iGortsakans" in the Ministry of Health. They're very capable, professional, and wise women. I actually think I'm the first man here! Over the past few years, they've done an incredible job, and what we're doing now is basically building on top of what they did. They made a sizeable impact.
 

As for iGorts itself, it's a good way of introducing yourself to the government and making changes right from the base of the country. I know a lot of people from NGOs and foundations who do an amazing job, but it's a bit easier to push things from the inside. If you have the willingness and the time to invest in your own country, then iGorts is the perfect way to do it.
 

What has been more challenging than you expected since joining the program, and what has been more encouraging?
 

I received a warm welcome from the Ministry of Health and received a lot of help and encouragement from my peers. But there are certain challenges. Armenia is not a rich country. It has some limited capabilities budget-wise. This is an issue especially for me, since I'm not officially part of the government. So, yeah, it can be a bit challenging when you propose a project that needs financial support.
 

Is there any foreign interest in investing in Armenia's healthcare sector?
 

There is a lot of support from Norway right now. It's not financial; just a lot of knowledge-sharing. The WHO is also interested. They want to see impact and improvements in our healthcare sector and are willing to share the knowledge that can help us get there.
 

If you could wake up tomorrow and instantly fix one thing in Armenia's healthcare system, what would it be?
 

I would change the entire emergency system and adapt the European models.
 

Do you see this one-year placement as a stepping stone to something longer-term in Armenia, and how do you envision your impact lasting beyond the program?
 

Okay, so the triage is a long-term project. But it doesn't come alone. It's like the trunk of the tree, and it has a lot of branches. One of those branches is supporting the nurse community. I mentioned before that I'm a nurse. So, I'm a bit more sympathetic toward them. We do need a support system in Armenia for them that will help them earn higher salaries and provide them with legal protection when they need it, as we have in Spain and Norway. This is one of the many long-term goals that I have in mind.
 

A lot of repats try to make changes in Armenia. However, sometimes it feels like every change is centered around Yerevan and the regions are disconnected. Is this the case in your sector as well?
 

What I see in the Ministry [of Health] when they think of a project or incentive, they think both in terms of Yerevan and the regions. As I mentioned, there are a lot of budget constraints. This is what causes the whole "focused on Yerevan" phenomenon. If we had more budget to spend in the regions, things would be easier. The intention is always there. The budget is what's limiting the processes.
 

Thank you! OK, enough on this subject. Earlier, you mentioned music and art. Are there any specific artists in Armenia that you're fond of?
 

I love the piano and the organ. That's why I like the Komitas Chamber Music House with the large pipe organ. I'm more fond of small halls because you can see the eyes of the musicians when they perform. That's why it's my favorite place, and I try to go to events there every week.

Interview by Nareg Abedi Masihi