International medical forum “For healthy life” opens in Kazan

First international medical forum on NCD prevention and healthy lifestyle promotion "For healthy life” has opened in Kazan.

The Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov, Russian Minister of health care Veronika Skvortsova and First Deputy Chairman of RF State Duma Aleksandr Zhukov participated in opening of the event.

Before the plenary session the exhibition of Tatarstan projects in health care industry was presented to Veronika Skvortsova. The Tatarstan President told about the advanced scheme of providing milk products for children, construction of medical and obstetrical stations in rural areas and health centers.

First Deputy Chairman of RF State Duma Aleksandr Zhukov read greetings on behalf of the Russian President. He said that the first forum "For healthy life” is held in Kazan because much emphasis is put on health care industry in Tatarstan. In particular, rural hospitals are being constructed and modernized, high-technology medical centers re being built in cities. Moreover, republic is said to be the sports center of Russia, and sport is the basis of healthy lifestyle.

Aleksandr Zhukov informed that within the last five years expenses for the industry have increased 2.5 times in Russia. Enormous funds were allocated in 2011-2012 for modernization.

Russian Minister of health care Veronika Skvortsova reminded that all economic sectors of the developed states are aimed at maintenance and development of the human potential. Health protection and demographic policy underlies development of the modern Russia.

According to the minister, percentage of noninfectious diseases as the main mortality factor is increasing all over the world. Global epidemic of noninfectious diseases, especially cardiovascular, oncological, endocrine and respiratory has been progressing within the last 50 years.

Veronika Skvortsova underlined the importance of healthy lifestyle and efficient prevention of noninfectious diseases. She believes that the efficient prophylactic environment can be created only with unity of all state bodies and public organisations.

According to Veronika Skvortsova, lack of personnel in primary health care is one of great risks in creating the disease prevention system. The minister focused on Tatarstan where modern ways of promoting healthy lifestyle and prevention measures are used.

President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov stressed that issues of health protection have gone beyond the professional medical community. “Nowadays health is a social and economic value. Understanding of this fact and decisions made by the government have affected modern demographic situation. It has become possible due to support of the Russian Government and State Duma,” the Tatarstan President said.
The birth rate in Tatarstan has been increasing within the last seven years. The federal program aimed at establishing vascular centers has proved its value. Currently there are 15 centers in Tatarstan. The system helped decreasing mortality from the stroke by 18.8 %.

The program of health care modernization has been realized within two years. Thus, the quality of medical assistance and labour conditions of medical personnel have improved. All major policlinics have been repaired. Much attention is paid to rural health care. Medical and obstetrical stations, and outpatient clinics are to be repaired within five years. Development of high-technology medicine is another priority task.

The Tatarstan President also noted that health care development is impossible without information technologies, and a lot of innovative projects were implemented in Tatarstan.

Promotion of healthy lifestyle and mass physical culture are also important for republic. A lot of unique sport venues that already host different competitions have been built in republic.

500 specialists and 28 speakers participate in the forum "For healthy life”.