A unique respiratory clinic operating 250 metres deep inside an Armenian salt mine is facing potential closure. The facility, which has offered an alternative treatment known as speleotherapy since 1987, saw its state funding withdrawn by the Armenian government in 2019.
Patients, many of whom suffer from asthma, spend six hours daily in the salt-rich, allergen-free air of the underground chambers. Mikayel Torosian, an asthma sufferer, stated it was the only treatment that worked for him. Doctors at the clinic attribute the health benefits to factors including salt-rich air, consistent 19C temperatures, and the absence of allergens, pollution, noise, and radiation.
The clinic, located on the outskirts of Yerevan, once admitted up to 60 people at a time, with many receiving free treatment. However, since the funding cut, patient numbers have dropped significantly, with only around five attending daily. Each treatment session now costs approximately £20.
The government's decision to withdraw funding was part of healthcare reforms and preparations for universal health insurance, citing a lack of sufficient scientific evidence for speleotherapy to justify public support. While the treatment has been practised for decades in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, large-scale studies are reportedly few, and many similar clinics have closed.