Vladimir Putin has spoken out against closure of rural medical centres

UFA, 4 December 2015. /Bashinform News Agency, Arina Rakhimkulova/. The Russian President Vladimir Putin in his Annual Address to the Federal Assembly spoke out against the closure of rural medical centres. The Head of the State stressed that people did not understand why certain hospitals, schools, cultural or social centres and institutions are being closed or merged. Authorities keep talking about the need to restructure the network, which is, in some cases, oversized.

"But we must proceed very carefully and be fully aware of the fact that in order to reach certain indicators, closing rural medical centres is not always the best option. Unfortunately, such things happen. People then have to travel 100 kilometres to get medical care. This is outrageous! Please make sure that things are done right.”

The Russian President instructed the Government to prepare and adopt a methodology for the most efficient distribution of social institutions before March 1, 2016. It should be mandatory for use in the regions.

"We must find a legally valid formula that will allow us to do so", said Vladimir Putin.