Deputies propose to establish medical offices in all kindergartens and schools

The chairman of the party “A Just Russia – For Truth” Sergei Mironov proposed to allocate funds from the federal budget to the regions for the organization of medical offices in all Russian schools and kindergartens. Mr. Mironov will submit the corresponding bill to the State Duma for consideration.

Currently, the issue of medical care for children in educational institutions is regulated by order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. Sergei Mironov proposes to enshrine a number of provisions of the order in the law “On Education”. In particular, the rule that an educational institution has a medical unit consisting of a pediatrician’s or paramedic’s office and a treatment room. Mr. Mironov noted that, according to the Ministry of Education, at the beginning of 2024, medical offices were open in 65% of educational institutions. The explanatory note to the project states that not all of them comply with the standards, and not all of them have a doctor present at all times. “The presence of permanently working medical offices is also a necessary condition for conducting regular preventive examinations and monitoring the health of children and adolescents. Indeed, over the past few decades, the number of minors with chronic diseases has increased by one and a half times,” emphasized Sergei Mironov.

In September 2023 “Kommersant” toldthat State Duma Deputy Speaker Irina Yarovaya (United Russia) drew the government’s attention to the shortage of qualified school doctors, which has developed due to low salaries. In this regard, Mrs. Yarovaya proposed transferring medical workers who provide assistance within the walls of educational institutions to higher rates as employees of medical institutions. The Ministry of Health assured Kommersant that the current legislation does not prevent this, moreover, “even today, in most cases, the school provides premises, and the clinic organizes the work of the medical office.” The decision on how school doctors will be registered is made by regional authorities, the Ministry of Health emphasized at the time.

Ivan Tyazhlov