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
"Disintegration is one of the reasons why the Russian pharmaceutical industry lags behind. We must consolidate. The industry needs integrated structures linking research and development with manufacture. These would of course make use of market instruments."
"It is taking Russian manufacturers too long to switch to GMP and other international standards, without which the Russian pharmaceutical industry will never become an equal competitor in the world."
"We should provide for the greatest possible number of medicines to be manufactured in Russia-in particular, through licensed production and generics."
"There is a third challenge-preventing the sale of counterfeit medicines and medicines that have already expired. These medicines threaten people's health and even lives, and our efforts to combat them should not subside."
"The tasks that the state and the pharmaceutical companies face are clear. First, the policy for the state to purchase medicines needs to be overhauled to introduce clear-cut, transparent market rules to eliminate the possibility of loopholes and abuses, which allow sidestepping the terms of a public auction. When public auctions are aboveboard, prices fall significantly."
"Russian-manufactured medicines purchased using government money must make up no less than a half of the total supply, in terms of value, within the next two or three years. We should shift to long-term contracts with Russian manufacturers to supply medicines to government, municipal and corporate hospitals and clinics, as well as to medical centres affiliated with the Academy of Medical Sciences."
"Guaranteed purchases of medicine is one of the principal financial approaches for implementing state strategy in this field. In particular, government and other centralised companies must make such purchases, whose amount is quite sufficient in our country, approaching 230 billion roubles a year. However, Russian manufacturers have no permanent, or at least long-term, access to the market-suffice to say that federal programmes account for fewer than 10% of the volume of all Russian-made medicines sold."
“In the budget for 2010, we have maintained or even increased spending on basic medical programmes, meaning the national project ‘Health,’ provision of free medicines for persons entitled to benefits and maternity certificate payments. Grants-in-aid to the regions for compulsory medical insurance will also not be reduced."
"Over the last five years the average life span in this country has increased by three years, to reach almost 68 years. Let me be frank - we still have much to do in order to match the European standards in this area, but we know that this is an achievable goal. This means that standards of living are changing, and that the substantial investment made in healthcare, physical fitness and the construction of sports facilities over the last few years is paying off."
"I would also like to draw your attention to the birth rate, which has been on the rise since 2005. A very pleasant change has taken place. Last August, birth rates exceeded death rates for the first time in the last 15 years. This has just been registered by the Ministry of Healthcare and Social Development, and confirmed by Gosstat (Federal Statistics Agency). For the first time in 15 years, we had a natural population increase."
"I signed an executive order on setting up a special Government commission to prevent an epidemic of swine flu in Russia. An outbreak of this infection caused by a highly pathogenic virus was registered in Mexico and a number of American states. Russian sanitary services have already taken measures towards this end. They have imposed a ban on the imports of pork and certain other meat products from Central America and a number of American states, established quarantine, and taken other urgent measures. I'd like you to closely follow the situation."
"I have signed several Government Acts to resolve the pressing problems of developing healthcare, social services and support for industry. First, as we agreed, we will direct 4.2 billion roubles to the development of blood donor systems across the Russian Federation. Modern equipment will be purchased, which will help blood transfers be as effective and safe as possible, and will also help to deal with its storage. Second, I have introduced changes into the Federal Targeted Programme Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases. We are going to allocate 5 billion roubles, most of which will go towards the fight against tuberculosis. It is a serious problem, and we need to act constantly, in a focussed way. Incidentally in these crisis conditions this has become even more urgent."
"We intend to seriously develop and upgrade access to modern medical aid. Four centers of high medical technologies will be commissioned, and construction of prenatal centers will be continued. The program for improving aid to cancer patients has been launched."
"The state is investing more into the social sector and has created favourable conditions for the influx of private investment. For instance, we have exempted a considerable share of corporate healthcare."
"I also think that prices for medical services are growing inadmissibly despite the change of the rouble rate because we are importing many medicines or their ingredients. Still, I do not think the price rises are well grounded. There are several fields in which we should improve our work. The most important task is to streamline the mandatory health insurance system. We will make relevant allocations and develop our own pharmaceutical industry and health services."
"As for complicated and expensive surgery, we are increasing the number of state-paid operations-but clearly, Moscow, St Petersburg and other major cities cannot cope with the entire Russian population. So, there is a programme for the construction of high tech health centres in Russian regions. Some of them are working already. We will implement this programme despite financial problems. It envisages cancer and heart treatment."
“What worries me very much about the age group you mentioned is drug addiction. For this region, the Kuzbass, this unfortunately is a very urgent issue. Drug addiction here, especially among young people, is higher than the average figure for the country, much higher. We must pool our efforts here: the law enforcement, administration, public organisations and health authorities must work out an effective plan of joint action.”
“We are planning to stabilise the numerical strength of the population and secure its steady growth with active demographic policy. <...> I'm pleased to say that recent measures in this area have created a positive trend in Russia.”
“It is necessary to invigorate the efforts to provide school children with high quality sound nutrition. This problem will help improve their health during study and shape a healthy lifestyle. Under the plan, 21 regions are supposed to adopt modern school catering standards this year. In the future, their experience should be spread to other regions.”
“School gyms and stadiums could be open to children not only during classes but also after them. It goes without saying that children should be supervised. Coaches and teachers should watch and help them, and be paid for that. Sports facilities at places of residence should also have a convenient time schedule. As I've already said, funds for remuneration of PT teachers and sports organisers should have special incentives for improving students' health and promoting a healthy lifestyle.”
