President at meeting to improve health care: The right to health care is irrevocable

14 января 2021

How can one make the Belarusian healthcare system better? This question was addressed by the President to all those who are responsible for policy and organization in this sphere. Whatever innovations they suggest, one thing is unchangeable: every resident of the country should receive high quality medical care. It is necessary to keep this idea in your head while making changes, said the Head of State at the meeting devoted to the improvement of the health care system. No one thought we would face the test of a pandemic, but the clear organization and approaches in the Belarusian medicine made it possible. The situation with coronavirus in the country was also discussed at the meeting - Alexander Lukashenko keeps the issue under control. Not totally, but gradually, some hospitals return to their normal mode of operation.

It has been almost 10 years since the basic documents, which define the legal basis for medical care, were revised. The time has come. The amendments to the laws "On Public Health" and "On Psychological Assistance" are on the agenda.

Coronavirus is a pain for everybody, not only for us. The second wave has covered the world, but Belarus passes this storm with dignity. Two thousand positive tests per day, but there are fewer serious patients and no mortality rate jumps. Not everyone can cope with it.

The leader in the number of infections in the world is the USA, where, because of the quarantine, 40 million citizens were left without work, and hence, the majority of them stayed without health insurance. It turned out to be very expensive to get treatment in the American way. At times, the bill was as high as $30,000. An ambulance to the house cost as much as $1,000. Many people simply decided to save money - this is one of the reasons for so many deaths.

Alexander Lukashenko, President of the Republic of Belarus: "In our country, the right to health care, as you understand, is inviolable. Every citizen of Belarus should get free and effective treatment at state healthcare institutions. The state, for its part, is obliged to maintain conditions for hospitals to have modern medical equipment and for doctors to have personal protective equipment. And the patient, no matter where he lives (in the capital or in the countryside), gets the care he needs."

In one year alone, we had over 22 thousand cardiac surgeries, more than five hundred transplants, as well as endoprosthetics and treatment of cancer patients according to high standards. Behind every operation is someone's life. The last five years have been a real era of modernization for Belarusian medicine. We have built or seriously upgraded more than 80 facilities during this time. It is difficult, long, expensive, but definitely not for nothing.

Alexander Lukashenko, President of the Republic of Belarus: "No matter how the norms are changing, we should remember: a human being always remains in the center of medical professionals' efforts. To save a patient, to preserve him, to improve his health - these are our top priorities".