Tatarstan Minister of Health Adel Vafin: We must not allow impudence, carelessness, and disrespectful attitude to patients

On March 31 at a session of Tatarstan Ministry of Health, Head of the ministry Adel Vafin said that responsibility of medical workers in their professional activity is widely discussed in the public. The number of recourses to law enforcement agencies and courts has increased.

According to Adel Vafin, there are 50, 000 medical workers, including 14, 000 doctors in the republic, with half of them having clinical qualifications.

Speaking about professional competence, Adel Vafin noted that the Regional certification commission carries out certification of 1, 000 doctors and 3.5 thousand medical workers every year.

Tatarstan Ministry of Health initiated carrying out compulsory certification of specialists with work experience more than 5 years, and without any qualification grades.

Every year Tatarstan Ministry of Health pursues up to 130 official investigations connected with rendering medical services by requests of prosecution agencies, Ministry of the Interior and courts. One third of investigations are conducted in category “Obstetrics & Gynaecology”, 24 per cent – “surgery” and “traumatology”, 21 per cent – “therapy”.

Adel Vafin addressed Head of Tatarstan Investigation Department of Russian Investigation Committee Pavel Nikolayev with request to sign Agreement on cooperation with defining liability of the parties, terms and conditions, in order to increase efficiency of joint work.

“I suppose that only heads of medical organisations can help to prevent incompliance of official duties by medical workers,” the Minister said.

Speaking about the problem of medical errors, Adel Vafin said that they are registered in the industry of even developed countries. There is also risk probability, which makes 37 per cent for average doctors, 50 per cent – for surgeons, and 67 per cent – for obstetrician-gynaecologist. In this regard, risk management should be the most prospective area to prevent undesirable effects of diagnostics and treatment, the Minister noted.

“Today we should consider impudence, carelessness, and disrespectful attitude to patients as a part of corruption,” he continued.

Summing up, Adel Vafin suggested holding Days of ethics at medical organisations. He stressed that there are many competent and conscientious specialists in the republic, willing to work for the good of its citizens.