Visited to Minsk Children's Clinical Hospital No.2

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko visited Minsk Children's Clinical Hospital No.2 on 19 June.

During the visit to the hospital the head of state demanded to overhaul the healthcare system in the country: “We will look into the prospects of the city to put things right in its healthcare. The healthcare in Minsk is the worst in the country. Minsk lags behind the regions in terms of healthcare.”

Chief Physician Larisa Sechko briefed the President on the hospital’s treatment practices, assistance to patients with various diseases and complex surgeries. The head of state was assured that patients with other diseases were not overlooked because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Plans are in place to expand the children’s hospital to improve comprehensive medical care. The old building will be transformed to provide assistance as part of other healthcare institutions. The head of state urged that the issue needs to be considered carefully. “Of course, children come first. This issue, however, needs an optimal solution,” stressed Aleksandr Lukashenko.

The head of state visited several hospital units, the intensive care unit, the diabetes school and the isotope laboratory and got familiar with the hospital infrastructure. The President also talked to young patients and their parents and gave presents to the children.
Minsk Children's Clinical Hospital No.2 is a 212-bed facility that features hemodialysis, hyperbaric oxygenation, outpatient endocrinology, consultation and diagnostic, physical therapy, reception, ultrasonic and functional diagnostics, central sterilization units, clinical diagnostic, microbiological and isotope laboratories, ian nterdistrict endoscopic office, an X-ray cabinet, and a dentist office.

In addition to inpatient care, the hospital provides assistance to outpatients of the city and the country as a whole. Three national centers operate at the facility to provide treatment to patients with severe diseases: nephrology and substitutive renal therapy, urology, endocrinology.

During the meeting with the hospital staff the head of state congratulated them and all medics on the professional holiday. "You are heroes because you treat children. I'm an adult, but when kids get sick, I panic. I can't bear it, and it does not matter whether these are mine children or someone else's. But you see it every day, and it is impossible to get used to it," Aleksandr Lukashenko said. 

"You know, I have come to the conclusion that a doctor and a teacher are a mirror of any state. Be worthy of this image. I wish you to remain the bedrock of our society, the courageous people as we, the society, ordinary people whom you treat, see you," the President wished.

The hospital personnel said that Russia has recently witnessed a sharp rise in coronavirus cases and that the Russian authorities have been taking steps to introduce a mandatory vaccination. In this regard, the head of state was asked whether there were plans to introduce compulsory vaccination of workers against COVID-19 in Belarus.

“If such a situation arises, this principle will certainly be introduced. Thank God, there is no such need yet,” said Aleksandr Lukashenko. The President added that he hopes that this outbreak of the coronavirus in Russia would soon be over. 

The head of state plans to hold a meeting in a week to discuss the ways to improve the healthcare system in Minsk and combat the coronavirus. “We will take a look at the situation and consider what needs to be done. We have already gained a lot of experience in this area, and we know what to do. Nevertheless, the situation needs to be under the President’s control as well. Both governors and officials are dealing with the problem. Everyone from the President to the doctor is doing their utmost to address the issue,” he stressed.

Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that vaccination against the coronavirus is important, especially for workers who are in constant contact with a large number of people. “We strongly recommend it, especially to doctors,” said the head of state.

The President noted that the country is not in a hurry to produce its own vaccine, as other countries, because there is no such need yet: Belarus has established the production of the Russian vaccine. The Chinese partners are also providing assistance.

"We are not in a hurry. Next year we will create our own vaccine, already tested. This infection is mutating and we do not know what variant of the virus we will be fighting next year. We want to tailor our vaccine to the future variant,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

“Today, experts in Russia say that they have an outbreak of the Indian variant. This variant represent more than 90% of new cases in Moscow. We don't know what will happen next year. But we know for sure that this virus will not go away."

The hospital staff also touched upon another important topic for Belarusians: the possibility of traveling abroad during the vacation period. Aleksandr Lukashenko recommended to take into account the current situation and spend vacation within the country as all necessary conditions for it have been created in the country. At the same time, he stressed that there are opportunities to travel to resort countries through Russia due to the restrictions imposed by certain countries. “As for the Black Sea, Sochi, and Georgia, they are quite popular right now, and there are no problems with flights there, of course, given all necessary tests are performed,” said the head of state.

The President also mentioned Ukraine, which has imposed restrictions on the movement of people for Belarusians. “We save their people here and will continue to do this [Ukraine accounts for 85% of the export of Minsk Children's Hospital No.2 services]. They, however, decide to close their air space for us, and we have to make a circle around them to get to Turkey and beyond,” said the head of state.

Aleksandr Lukashenko said that since Ukraine has closed its air space for the Belarusian aircraft, Belarus should provide an adequate response. Belarus will not accept any flights from Ukraine’s territory. “We must create equal conditions for our Belavia aircraft. If we have to fly this way, we will force others to fly this way to Belarus too,” the President added.

During the visit Aleksandr Lukashenko presented a certificate for the purchase of a high-class ultrasound machine to Minsk Children’s Clinical Hospital No. 2.

“Maybe, you don’t need it, do you?” the head of state said jokingly when he handed over the certificate to Chief Physician Larisa Sechko.

“I need a few certificates like this,” she responded.

“Later the minister and I will consider whether we need to build new facilities here as you have asked. Of course, new facilities will need new equipment,” the President said.

Larisa Sechko, in turn, presented a book to the President. The book highlights all stages of the development of the hospital and its modern status. Archive documents published in the book include the resolution of the head of state as of 19 June 1996 on the development of the material and technical infrastructure of the hospital. “It is very symbolic,” she noted.

The book also features a touching photo of little patients with the head of state. Aleksandr Lukashenko visited the hospital in the run-up to Christmas, on 6 January 1996. “We wanted to present this wonderful photo to you. We wanted you to remember that you had visited our hospital, had played a role in the development of the hospital. We wanted you to know that our staff appreciates what you have done for the country and for our hospital,” Larisa Sechko said.

Doctors jokingly reproached the President for not visiting their hospital since then. “I understood the essence of you reproach: I need to visit your hospital more often, and it is located here, not far away. If you invite me and show me something new, I will come with pleasure,” Aleksandr Lukashenko added. “The greatest pleasure, as far as I have been informed, is that we don’t have problems with kids. We don’t have problems with diseases you treat here. Moreover, there is a good and balanced logistics system, as doctors say. We need to save children: they are our main treasure.”

On behalf of all doctors, Healthcare Minister Dmitry Pinevich presented a photo album to the head of state. It features all the President’s visits to Belarusian hospitals during the pandemic. According to the minister, for some people the red zone is the hype zone, but the head of state visited hospitals because he wanted to be in the know about the real state of affairs and to make reasonable decisions.