Dmitry Medvedev: "The main achievement of the centres is a substantial decrease in the death rate of infants and mothers."
Dmitry Medvedev’s opening remarks:
Teleconference on implementation of the programme on developing perinatal centres
Good afternoon to you and all those who are taking part in the teleconference. Today we are discussing a very important issue: perinatal centers, which provide medical aid for our smallest citizens and their mothers. We’ve been building such centres on a large scale since we launched our national project on healthcare. We’ve done a lot during this period.
Dmitry Medvedev: "From 2007 to 2012 we built and equipped 24 centres, including 22 regional and two federal ones. All in all, we have almost 100 centres."
Minister of Healthcare Veronika Skvortsova
Let me recall that from 2007 to 2012 we built and equipped 24 centres, including 22 regional and two federal ones. All in all, we have almost 100 centres. If we compare this figure to what we had 10 or 12 years ago the difference is huge (Ms Skvortsova knows this better than I). In fact, in the past we didn’t have such centres at all. We had traditional obstetric service but no centres. Half of these centres are independent entities, and I’m primarily referring to them, while others are part of multi-profile clinics.
Dmitry Medvedev: "In its directive of 9 December 2013 the Government endorsed a programme on developing such centres until 2016. It provides for the construction of 32 perinatal centres in 30 regions."
These centres are comfortable for mothers and babies. They are using modern perinatal technology and methods of treatment and are upgrading the territorial model of rendering aid to mothers and newborn infants.
The main achievement of the centres is a substantial decrease in the death rate of infants and mothers. I won’t cite any figures, but perhaps the Minister of Healthcare will speak about this in more detail.
We’ll continue building perinatal centres in the next two years. In its directive of 9 December 2013 the Government endorsed a programme on developing such centres until 2016. It provides for the construction of 32 perinatal centres in 30 regions.
Dmitry Medvedev: "The total funding of the programme without investments by regional budgets exceeds 52 billion roubles."
The total funding of the programme without investments by regional budgets exceeds 52 billion roubles. This is a large sum. The task remains the same – to make medical aid more accessible and efficient and continue reducing the maternal and infant mortality rate. We must work consistently to this end. This programme is currently in the first, organisational stage. We are in contact with many regions and some of our colleagues are present in this hall.
By the end of July the regional authorities should complete the drafting of planning documentation, choose a contractor and elaborate programmes for the training and retraining of medical personnel.
Regrettably, not all regions have fulfilled their co-financing commitments. Some regions have not yet confirmed that they have funds for building perinatal centres in their budgets.
In addition, some regions have not endorsed or coordinated their programmes with the Ministry of Healthcare.
Even worse, some regions have not allocated land for the construction of centres. Colleagues, you must decide what you want to do. If you want to build such centres, then make these decisions. If not, say honestly that you are not going to do this. A lack of determination may impede the implementation of the programme. You must draft clear-cut construction schedules and submit them to the Government in the next few days. The Ministry of Healthcare should coordinate and monitor this work.
Regrettably, some regions have not yet legally endorsed the programme. This applies to Dagestan, Ingushetia, Karelia, the Stavropol Territory, and the Arkhangelsk, Bryansk, Kaluga, Nizhny Novgorod, Penza, Ulyanovsk and Chelyabinsk regions.
Minister of Construction, Housing and Utilities Mikhail Men
Some regions have not updated their budgets or submitted documents on the allocation of land. You know what I’m talking about. Please, put things in order without delay.
It is not enough to build a perinatal centre and outfit it with modern equipment. It is very important to have qualified personnel there. It is necessary to compile programmes on the training of specialists for perinatal centres. We should also think of sending medical workers for practical training in Russia’s leading medical centres and abroad.
The Ministry of Healthcare should make all relevant calculations and reflect all this in its plans.
