Report of Belarus’ Healthcare Minister Vasily Zharko
- 1
On 15 February Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko heard out a report from Healthcare Minister Vasily Zharko. He was concerned about the spread of flu and respiratory diseases in the neighboring countries and wanted to listen to the objective report on the situation in Belarus.
The head of state noted that he is very much concerned about the information from Russia where the flu mortality rate is rather high. The situation in Ukraine is rather difficult too. The President was informed that there is no and will be no epidemics of flu and other respiratory diseases in Belarus. The morbidity rate is 10% lower than that in the same period of the previous year. The minister said that inoculation of people was helpful.
Aleksandr Lukashenko was also informed about the state affairs on the pharmaceutical market of Belarus where Belarusian medications accounted for 52% of the total (calculated in U.S. dollars) in 2015. The President demanded to prevent the unjustified growth of prices for medications. “Of course, I do not want pharmacies and other manufacturers to be in the red,” he said. “No one will operate at a loss, but no one, especially trade outlets, is allowed to capitalize on it,” he stressed. Aleksandr Lukashenko added that the situation with prices at pharmacies is under control. He urged not to leave it without attention in the future.
Besides, at the end of the meeting the President gave an instruction to resume the construction of the Gomel oblast children’s hospital. It has to be built in two years.
The head of state noted that he is very much concerned about the information from Russia where the flu mortality rate is rather high. The situation in Ukraine is rather difficult too. The President was informed that there is no and will be no epidemics of flu and other respiratory diseases in Belarus. The morbidity rate is 10% lower than that in the same period of the previous year. The minister said that inoculation of people was helpful.
Aleksandr Lukashenko was also informed about the state affairs on the pharmaceutical market of Belarus where Belarusian medications accounted for 52% of the total (calculated in U.S. dollars) in 2015. The President demanded to prevent the unjustified growth of prices for medications. “Of course, I do not want pharmacies and other manufacturers to be in the red,” he said. “No one will operate at a loss, but no one, especially trade outlets, is allowed to capitalize on it,” he stressed. Aleksandr Lukashenko added that the situation with prices at pharmacies is under control. He urged not to leave it without attention in the future.
Besides, at the end of the meeting the President gave an instruction to resume the construction of the Gomel oblast children’s hospital. It has to be built in two years.