The draft directive on setting aside federal budget allocations in 2014-2015 to finance Russia's participation in the initiative of the World Health Organisation to eliminate measles and rubella in the European region of the World Health Organization by 2015 was prepared by the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Protection and Welfare (Rospotrebnadzor).
At the 60th session of the Regional Office of the World Health Organisation, the regional goals to eliminate measles and rubella were moved from 2013 to 2015 in connection with the unfavourable measles epidemiological situation.
The document provides for allocating to Rospotrebnadzor in 2014-2015 budget funds in the amount of $329.5 million roubles, including:
- to finance the costs associated with monitoring measles and rubella, genotyping the circulating measles viruses, strengthening the material and technical base, and training relevant experts from CIS states – up to 235 million roubles;
- to finance costs associated with the provision of logistical support to laboratories for diagnosing measles in the CIS states – up to 94.5 million roubles.
The approved directive is consistent with the principal policies of the Concept of Russia's Participation in Promoting International Development approved by the Russian President in 2007 as a means for preventing and controlling infectious diseases, as well as Russia’s commitment to participate in addressing global health issues undertaken as part of the G8 membership.
The decisions taken are aimed at maintaining the status of a number of Russian regions as areas free of endemic measles, as well as at preventing the emergence and spread of outbreaks of measles and rubella, reducing morbidity and child mortality associated with these infections in Russia and assisting other CIS states in these matters.
The document was reviewed and approved at a Government meeting on 3 April 2014.