News

Patients' organizations have appealed to Dmitry Medvedev

10.02.2014

In an open letter to the Chairman of the Russian Government representatives of patient organizations from all over Russia wrote about their anxiety because of cuts of health care funding. We publish the text of this letter, which was signed by both the interregional public movement "Movement Against Cancer" and the non-profit partnership "Equal Right to Life"

For the attention of

the Chairman of the Government

of the Russian Federation

D.A. Medvedev

Dear Dmitry Anatolyevich!

We are writing to you on behalf of millions of Russian citizens – current and potential patients, whose interests we represent.

We are extremely concerned by the draft Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation proposed for public discussion and titled "On approval of the national program Development of Health Care in the Russian Federation."

The point is that the program has already been approved by the Order of the Government of the Russian Federation of December 24, 2012 No. 2511-R and the proposed project is in fact an attempt to significantly cut the health care budget.

The draft program contains provisions for budget cuts compared to the budgetary provisions in the National Program approved by the Russian Government Order of December 24, 2012 No. 2511-R, in 2014 – by 16 bln. rubles, in 2015 – by 17.3 bln. rubles, in 2016 – by 28.9 bln. rubles.

At the same time, it is planned to increase the funds of the Federal Mandatory Medical Insurance Fund (FMMIF), from which the National Program is funded, by 31 bln. rubles in 2014, by 9.5 bln. rubles in 2015 , but in 2016 it is planned to cut the FMMIF budget by as much as 329 bln. rubles!

The violations continue of the state guarantees for access of Russian citizens to health care and drug therapies; these violations are always explained by the lack of budget funds. Based on many years of experience in protecting the rights of Russian patients, we have no doubt that the adoption of the above mentioned Government Decree will inevitably lead to a sharp increase in morbidity and mortality in our country.

Let me draw your attention to the fact that the reduction in funding will affect such important sections of the national program as "Disease prevention and promotion of healthy lifestyles. Development of primary health care," "Improving the provision of specialized health care, including high-tech care, emergency medical aid, including specialized emergency medical aid, and medical evacuation," "Health-care provision for certain categories of citizens" and "Maternal and child health care." All these areas of health care affect the vital interests of the overwhelming majority of our citizens.

Most recently, a working meeting was held chaired by V.V. Putin and dedicated to the development of the system of high-tech medical care for Russian citizens. Significant advances in this direction were mentioned, in particular due to the steady increase of funding of this area. At the meeting, the need was confirmed for further development in the direction of improvement of the quality and accessibility of health care.

We are sure that the tasks set forth at this meeting, as well as in the decrees of the President of the Russian Federation, aimed at improving public health policy cannot be implemented without sufficient budget financing.

This significant reduction of public health care financing is unjustified social experiment affecting the most valuable thing of this country – on the health and lives of citizens of Russia! We insist that the life and health of the citizens are the supreme value and must remain an absolute priority in all decisions.

Dear Dmitry Anatolyevich! We ask you to personally intervene the situation and give instruction to revise the draft Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation "On approval of the national program Development of Health Care in the Russian Federation" in order to prevent cuts of health care spending.We are sure that the lives and health of millions of our fellow citizens depend on your decision.

Sincerely,

For and on behalf of the associations listed below.

Yu.A. Zhulev,

Co-chairman of the Russian patients association

Please send the response to our appeal to the address: 125040 Moscow, Verkhniaya street, 34 build.1, All-Russian union of patients, Tel./Fax +7 (499) 426 06 42

The list of organizations that supported this collective appeal:

1. S.V. Borisov, Board Chairman of the interregional public organization for viral hepatitis patients assistance "United against Hepatitis";

2. A.A. Bocharov, Deputy Board Chairman of the interregional public organization "Assistance to sarcoma patients";

3. N.A. Bulgakova, president of the All-Russian public organization of disabled people Russian Rheumatology Association "Nadezhda";

4. Ya.V. Vlasov, co-chairman of the All-Russian union of patients, president of the All-Russian public organization of disabled people - patients with multiple sclerosis;

5. M.Yu. Gavrikov, chairman of the All-Russian public organization of nephrology and transplant patients "Right to Life";

6. N.L. Gerasimova, president of interregional public organization "Association of aid funds for patients with neuromuscular diseases "Nadezhda";

7. V.O. Grigoriev, president of interregional charitable public organization for assistance to children with rheumatic and other chronic diseases "Vozrozhdenie";

8. E.V. Gustova, co-president of the All-Russian Union "Russian Diabetes Federation - RDF", president of interregional public organization of disabled people "Moscow Diabetes Association of diabetes patients - MDA";

9. N.V. Davydova, executive director of the non-profit organization Charitable Foundation "Under the banner of good!";

10. N.P. Dronov, chairman of the executive committee of interregional public movement "Movement Against Cancer";

11. Yu.A. Zhulev, co-chairman of the Russian patients association, president of the All-Russian hemophilia society;

12. E.Yu. Zakharova, chairman of the Board of All-Russian organization of rare (orphan) diseases;

13. V.V. Kozhereva, vice-chairman of the interregional public charity organization of disabled people "Society of patients with primary immunodeficiency", president of Charitable Foundation to help children with congenital disorders of immunity "Podsolnukh";

14. L.M. Kondrashova, chairman of the interregional public organization of kidney patients "NEPHRO-LEAGUE";

15. N.B. Levina, chairman of the Board the All-Russian public organization of people disabled due to mental disorders and their families "New opportunities"

16. L.F. Matveeva, president of the All-Russian society of onco-hematology "Co-operate";

17. E.A. Meshcheryakova, vice-president of interregional public charity organization "Union of patients with rare diseases and patient organizations for rare diseases", president of regional public organization to assist patients with imperfect osteogenesis "Fragile children";

18. S.A. Mitina, President of the inter-regional public charity organization " Alliance of patient organizations and patients with rare diseases", President of the international public charity organization "Society of disabled persons suffering from Hunter syndrome, other forms of mucopolysaccharidosis and other rare genetic diseases";

19. O.S. Mishina, Vice-president of inter-regional public charity organization "Society of patients with psoriasis";

20. I.V. Miasnikova, chairman of the of the Board of interregional public organization "Assistance to patients with cystic fibrosis", executive director of the All-Russian organization of rare (orphan) diseases;

21. I.V. Pchelin, Executive Director of the All-Russian public organization "Association of People Living with HIV";

22. A.V. Saversky, president of the All-Russian public organization "League of advocates for patients";

23. A.V. Sitalo, President of the inter-regional public charity organization of disabled people "Mutual aid society for patients with ankylosing spondylitis";

24. E.V. Sorokina, Coordinator of the working group on oncology and onco-hematology of the All-Russian union of patients;

25. V.G. Sukhanov, president of regional public organization of disabled people – ostomy patients "ASTOM";

26. T.A. Tarasova, president of non-commercial partnership "Society of parents of children with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease"

27. M.D. Terekhova, chairman of the interregional public organization "Assistance to lifelong disabled persons suffering from Gaucher's disease, and their families", vice-chairman of the Board of All-Russian organization of rare (orphan) diseases;

28. M.A. Urmancheeva, President of the St. Petersburg Union of associations of parents of children with disabilities;29. E.K. Chistyakova, director of the Charity Fund for children with oncohaematological and other diseases "Gift of Life".