VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
“We need to invest money in order to improve specialists’ qualifications, and we need to think about the future. One of the main priorities is the adoption of modern technology in the industry. The centres must be as effective as possible. We should eliminate the need for patients to wait in line and for doctors to fill in endless forms.”
“The government plans to disburse considerable amounts of money in federal allocations for the development of the medical equipment industry and the pharmaceutical sector. More than 120 billion roubles have been earmarked, all in all, including 40 billion in targeted funding for improving the manufacture of medical equipment.”
“I’d like to reiterate that our goal is to create truly modern medical centres in every sense of the word: from the adoption of high technology to comfortable conditions in the wards. And here much depends on the approach of the government – at both federal and regional levels. It is very important to form strong professional teams by attracting good specialists, doctors, and mid-level personnel. We must do our utmost to make positions at such centres prestigious and to increase the prestige of the profession in general.”
“Regional programmes must make healthcare more affordable. We have to introduce new standards that can guarantee quality and effective care – including diagnostics, procedures, and the provision of pharmaceuticals. And Moscow should naturally take the lead in introducing these new healthcare standards. We should also eliminate the humiliating need to wait in line. I've raised this issue more than once. The procedure of making appointments and appointments proper should be organised in the most convenient manner for patients.”
“Regional programmes should logically continue federal efforts to improve public health. They are designed to improve the quality and accessibility of healthcare. The regions will purchase modern equipment, and renovate and otherwise update their key medical facilities. Healthcare facilities must comply with the latest medical standards, employ highly qualified specialists, and certainly raise staff salaries, including those of doctors in outpatient clinics.”
“Since 2005 the number of patients receiving high-tech medical care increased from 60,000 to 290,000. We need to further increase access to such services. We have already increased it fivefold, from 60,000 to 290,000. This is good, but the demand for such services is much higher, and we need to step up our efforts. Budget allocations for high-tech healthcare from 2008 to 2013 will total 135 billion roubles.”
“We have created an effective mechanism to ensure that people can receive medical services for free, as guaranteed by the state. I'd like to emphasise that these services are of the appropriate quality, or at least so it should be. Starting January 1, 2011 we will implement modernisation programmes that are designed to upgrade regional hospitals and clinics – providing them with new equipment and promoting the adoption of new technology and new medical standards. We will have the additional opportunity to raise salaries in the industry.”
“It is necessary to remove excessive paperwork in relations between the doctor and patient and to have the doctor focused on the treatment of the patient, instead of on filling out numerous forms and certificates. Modern information technology has to be applied for this purpose. What I mean is clear to everybody: telemedicine, electronic paperwork and electronic medical records. It is necessary to give people the opportunity to make a doctor’s appointment online, without having to leave the house.”
“As things really are, Europe does not consume many genetically modified products or commodities that violate sanitary standards. That was why imports from certain countries were suspended - particularly chicken from the United States. I would like to remind you that we imported close on 1.5 million tonnes of chicken from the United States recently, against roughly 300,000 tonnes this year. I think we will do without these imports next year and later, especially because our sanitary inspectors often disapprove of the production techniques, transportation and storage of these foodstuffs. I also want to remind you that the production of chicken in Russia has increased by more than 70% these last years, by 79% if I am not mistaken, and the production of pork by 39%. This is sizeable progress for any economy and any agriculture. This is why the budgets for next year, 2011, and for the years to follow give prominence to the development of agriculture.”
“We are encouraging Russians to respect their health and to give up bad habits. The government approved a concept for state policy on reducing alcohol consumption last year and a similar concept to reduce smoking recently. Russia ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and this was really a significant event. We will take into account all the requirements of that convention when drafting legislation.”
“The infant mortality rate has plummeted by almost one-third compared to 2005, even as the birth rate has grown and life expectancy has increased by 3 years in the past five years, which is a lot. The average life expectancy in Russia is nearly 69 years. This might be a modest achievement for Europe, but a growth of three years in a matter of five years is a major achievement. It points to a clear trend, to positive dynamics. I am confident that this development will continue to progress.”
“We took up the formation of a national infrastructure of high-tech healthcare services for the first time in earnest as part of the Healthcare priority national project, and our principled position was to primarily build new clinical centres in the country's regions and thus bring modern high-quality medical care to the people who need it, so that they do not have to get on a train or a plane to receive treatment at Moscow hospitals, spend money on travel, accommodation and incur other expenses that are not directly related to healthcare, or be placed on a waiting list for months or even years to get the operation or tests they need.”
“That being said, this increase in the federal funding should by no means encourage regions to reduce their own spending on healthcare. I hope that regional leaders will heed this. Let me be clear. If some regions have already started repairing hospitals and have promised to buy equipment, they must keep their word, carry out their plans, and not shift the financial burden over to the federal budget. They must complete all the projects that they have begun and pay for all of their commitments in full.”
“As you know, a large medical centre is being constructed in Moscow for children with oncologic diseases, primarily hematologic diseases. This centre will be the largest in Europe, without exaggeration. It'll accommodate between 250 and 300 patients, servicing another 300 patients at its ambulatory clinic. Also, there'll be a research lab and a hotel for the families of young patients. They will be able to come and stay there for the duration of the treatment. This option is very important for such patients. They need their family there. The government is doing this on its own. It'll cost the budget 11 billion roubles. Construction will be finished by next June. The centre will have the latest high-tech equipment. I hope it'll be able to receive its first patients at the end of next year.”
“It is heartening that over the recent years young people have been increasingly gravitating towards careers in medicine. These days, medical school graduates are more and more often choose to pursue a medical career. Today, highly skilled specialists versed in the latest diagnosis and treatment methods are in great demand in our country's healthcare system. High-tech equipment is being widely introduced in our medical institutions, and treatment methods and standards are being improved. We are building new hospitals with sophisticated equipment and new prenatal centres. We have been investing considerable funds in programmes for cardiovascular disease and cancer treatment, in the enhancement of assistance to road traffic accident victims. As you know, we have achieved good results.”
“From 2006 to 2009 we spent almost half a trillion roubles - 453.3 billion - through the Healthcare national priority project alone. These funds were used to provide free medicines for veterans and disabled persons, as well as compensation to those who refused in-kind benefits in favour of monetary payments. We spend over 100 billion roubles to this end every year. In addition, 10,000 outpatient clinics received modern diagnostic equipment, which has shortened queues for specialist care. Finally, 70% of the ambulances in this country were modernised. That's 70% of our entire vehicle fleet! A few words about the need for high-tech medical services: not long ago, only one out of every ten patients had access to such services, but now that number is 60%. We have achieved some of our goals, but frankly we only managed to resolve our most acute, pressing problems.”
"In 2010, we will develop detailed plans for the improvement of the system of compulsory medical insurance. This is a very important, large-scale and complicated task. Apart from that, we need not only to adopt, but also implement a new law on pharmaceutical products, which is now being discussed at the State Duma."
"The prices for companies making vitally important medications will be registered. This is the first thing. Second, the Federal Tariff Service will draft procedures for the constituent entities limiting their authority to regulate mark-ups. On the one hand, maker's prices will be fixed, and, on the other, mark-ups will be limited. These regulations will be effective from January 1, 2010."
"To cut a long story short and make it clear to everyone - the key problem is insufficient funding for the system. There are shortfalls in funding from every source, including the federal and regional governments. We have plans to reform this system. But at the moment we are embarking on a major project to improve the pension system, which will require between 500 and 700 billion roubles in 2010, according to our estimates. Our next effort will be to reform the compulsory medical insurance system gradually."
"This year almost 230,000 patients will benefit from hi-tech medical assistance. The figure will increase to 255,000 in 2010. But of course we would like it to be still higher. To remind you, that the figure in the otherwise good year 2005 was just 60,000. In other words, we have seen a fourfold growth between 2005 and 2009. You would agree that this is a positive result."
