“The health branch will be focused on to the full extent despite the crisis”

The delegation of Tatarstan days ago returned from Moscow, where the 4th European Paediatrics Congress took place. The 3.5 thousand scientists and healthcare specialists from Russia and 80 other states included Tatarstanians, officials from the Tatarstan Health Ministry, Academy of Medicine and Children’s Clinical Hospital.

President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev greeted the congress attendees. Before the solemn opening, the head of state met with Russian Health and Social Development Minister Tatiana Golikova and representatives from the medical communities of Moscow and four Russian regions, as well as from the US, Greece and Germany. Tatarstan was represented by the chief medical officer at the Republican Children’s Clinical Hospital Evgeny Karpukin. He shared his impressions from the talk with the Russian president with Tatar-inform .

E.K.: The atmosphere at the meeting was friendly. Dmitry Anatolievich told us that despite the crisis the financial support of the health branch would be the same. All the regional representatives – there were medical officers from the Kursk and Yaroslavl regions and Republic of Komi – were given a chance to speak out. I had a chance to personally thank the President of the country for entrusting Tatarstan with high technologies. Earlier, everything was concentrated in Moscow. Now, high technologies in the regions are paid for by the Russian Health Ministry.

Evgeny Vasilievich, could you tell in more detail about the practice of applying them in Tatarstan.

E.K.: Speaking of our hospital, we render high-technology help in the field of cardio surgery and neurosurgery to four neighbouring regions, which is paid for by the Russian Health Ministry. I told Dmitry Medvedev that we are willing to take on more work. He said it was quite possible. In general, our proposal was approved. I hope it will be supported next year.

What impressions does the President of Russia have from Tatarstan, our healthcare system?

E.K.: Dmitry Anatolievich spoke very warmly of our republic. In particular, he recalled his visit to Tatarstan, health care facilities, including the High Medical Technology Centre at the Republican Clinical Hospital. The Russian president thinks the centre effectively helps solve tasks related to training various-speciality doctors. In general, the meeting left this impression: the health industry and social issues will remain a focus despite the crisis.

Evgeny Vasilievich, the Tatarstan delegation presented a report to the congress of paediatricians. Which issues did our specialists raise?

E.K.: We presented a report on organising a prenatal service in the republic. In Tatarstan, a system of three-tier help for children and pregnant women is active. The point is that a child born with a deficiency in a rural area is in a shortest time transported on an intensive care car to the RCCH or the so-called second-tier hospitals, in Naberezhnye Chelny, Nizhnekamsk, Almetievsk. If a baby has a severe pathology, demanding a surgical operation, they are immediately transported to Kazan, to the RCCH. Owing to the system of helping newborns and pregnant women, we have achieved good results on decreasing infant mortality. As is known, the criterion has bee included in the system of state indicators. It determines success not only in healthcare but in the work in general. Over the past 10 years, the infant mortality rate in Tatarstan has considerably decreased, totalling at the end of 2008 6 deaths per one thousand live newborns. The figure is commensurate with the infant mortality rates in Eastern Europe and some states in the US.

What other urgent issues did you bring up during the congress?

E.K.: The participants of the congress discussed issues related to medicine in general, implementing high technologies and their development in paediatrics. One of the most urgent were issues pertaining to the safety of medical substances in the paediatrics practice and children’s nutrition. Paediatricians’ post-graduate education was extensively discussed, as well as issues related to education and training of the specialists in various countries. The participants noted that our country has so far had the most progressive form of education.

Interview by Lilia Markelova