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Putin answered questions related to health care
President discussed the most pressing issues in health care with participants of the forum "For quality and affordable medicine" that gathered together more than 600 people from all regions. "Rossiyskaya Gazeta" covers the event.
President discussed the most pressing issues in health care with participants of the forum "For quality and affordable medicine" that gathered together more than 600 people from all regions. "Rossiyskaya Gazeta" covers the event.
"Currently, we pay continuous attention to this topic," underlined the head of state. Still, there are many problems, more than the resolved ones, he stated. First, the forum participants asked for a moratorium on the optimization of health care. Vladimir Putin objected that we must not stop it, but route in the right direction.
"If you see that something is not done properly, and that something is being done or not done on time as planned, the most important thing is to make adjustments to these reforms, necessary and timely," he explained, adding that positive developments that has been achieved over previous years should not be lost. "If somewhere an optimization is under way, it is not a sign of trouble as such," the head of state continued. It is important to attract modern professionals in the health care sector. The average amount of health funding is 3.6 percent of GDP, the President recalled. A little more this year, slightly less next year, but in general, this level must be maintained.
"Practice shows that when it comes to staffing cut or optimization, for some reason, it is always starts with the rural areas," Putin said. "But if only a small out-patient department is where people can get medical care, which works for decades, you cannot close it. This is because I hear sad jokes from people that another medical facility is closed in a village, and among available drugs there is only garlic."
The increase of paid services is one of the most sensitive issues for the citizens. Financing from compulsory health insurance is sent to the regions in full. Regional authorities and Federal Service for the Supervision of Public Health (Roszdravnadzor) must ensure that the volume of free services to the population is not declining. People need to know what they have the right for. "This is easy to do today, using the Internet," the President added and promised to give orders. In response to allegations that schemas are created to withdraw money from health care sector, free laboratories are replaced with paid ones; the President said that it is necessary to analyze the issue. "Nothing shall be destroyed in the health system that is required for the provision of free medical care provided by the Constitution," he stressed. "If such acts are committed, they are illegal, and require rapid and effective response by the appropriate federal or regional bodies," Putin said.
"We created the People’s Front precisely with the purpose to have a system of public oversight over the movement of public funds," the President reminded. "Speaking generally, wherever one looks, where public money are involved, one can always find some rascals or rogues trying to get into, attempting to bite pieces from the state finance," he said.
One of the Forum participants complained that the deputy head of Roszdravnadzor told him that in order the money not to be stolen, the "order from above" is needed. "What orders do you need to stop snatching money from pockets of people?" Putin asked the head of this agency. He responded that in the Jewish Autonomous Region, which was involved, a comprehensive inspection was held; documents are sent to the prosecutor's office. "They reported that the minister was fired," he added. However, the issue is not off the table yet, the region is under special supervision. The President instructed to finish the work.
The import substitution was one of the topics at the Forum. the President has set the target that by 2018, the production of 90 percent of drugs should be localized. "If you import the active ingredients, and simply mix it here - it cannot be considered as local production of medicines," he emphasize the difference and called not only manufacture competitive generics, but own medicines as well. At the same time, there will be no ban on imports of medicines and equipment, Putin assured.
The head of state also urged to analyze the reasons for the accelerated drugs prices rise in pharmacies. "Why retail behaves this way? Why Roszdravnadzor do not carefully monitors this? Why regional bodies in charge of this do not respond as necessary?" he asked with indignation. He also criticized the activities of insurance companies, which "take federal or regional money and pass it to the medical facility," though they should control and quality of service as well. The President did not rule out that the salary of a head of medical institution could be linked to the average salary of his/her subordinates, and promised to give orders to improve financing of emergency care.
Vladimir Putin answered personal questions. "I try not to get sick, I go in for sports," he said. "In general, in case any problems arise, then, of course, I am treated at the Central Clinical Hospital. It is a tradition from the dawn of time that all the people who perform respective responsibilities are treated there," Putin said. When Russian officials prefer to receive medical services abroad, this is a problem similar to their bank accounts in other countries, the President believes. It should not be banned, but we have to watch over such people more closely and encourage them to use domestic health services. "If a person does not trust the national banking system, than he may have bank account abroad. But for officials, especially high-level officials, this would only confirm that they do not want to work properly," Putin said. "If they have a desire to work properly, they would work on improving our financial and banking system, and be sure that keeping money, honestly earned, of course, in Russian financial institutions is safe."
The head of state urged the officials "to think about how to improve the health care system and receive treatment here, improve the education system and provide opportunities for their children to qualify and receive diplomas here." "Of course, it is a moral choice," he added. "It would be wrong to ban or to force, but of course one could try to induce a person to use domestic medical or education services. Of course, we need to look closely to the people, which act in this or that way. I can assure you that I act accordingly."
Putin addressed to the Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets and the Minister of Finance Anton Siluanov, who were among the Forum participants, with the question where they keep their money and receive medical care. "Employees of the Ministry of Finance are served in the Russian commercial bank. I also keep my savings and have an account there," Siluanov said. Golodets reported that treated "in the Russian Federation." "I have my favorite clinics. Unfortunately, the result is not achieved every time, but this is just a problem of our system, we have to solve it together," she said.
Original text http://www.rg.ru/2015/09/08/operacia.html
