Visit to Kirov Military Medical Academy

State Secretary – Deputy Defence Minister, Head
of the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation Anna Tsivileva: The Military Medical Academy is a unique organisation that combines three areas in its work.
First, it is a research and technological base
where new technologies and approaches to treating servicemen are being
developed.
In addition, we train 600 officers a year as military doctors who are currently working in medical battalions on the front
line. These highly qualified specialists have thus enabled us to minimise
casualties. We have 98 percent of patients cured, and most of them get back to the force.
And, of course, these are the hospital beds
themselves: we have 2,000 beds deployed. We are providing aid to our fighters,
and it is precisely with high-tech modern medicine, including most complex
operations, which are carried out on the basis of the Military Medical Academy.
Vladimir Putin: Mr Kryukov, I told you late last night that I wanted to come over. I see you’ve already prepared the reports. When did you
manage to do all this?
Head of the Military Medical Academy Yevgeny
Kryukov: We are
always ready.
Vladimir Putin: Good, thank you very much.
Here, of course, you’ve done everything in the best possible way. You will say a few words in a minute, but here’s what I would like to say. According to information that comes through various
channels, including from governors, some of the military medical facilities of the Russian Defence Ministry do need upgrading, renovation, or even new
construction.
That’s why we talked to the Minister [of Defence Andrei Belousov] this morning – Ms Tsivileva is aware of this. It is
necessary, of course, to draw up a whole renovation programme. I repeat, where
it is also necessary to build and put in order medical facilities of the Defence
Ministry. Especially, since our men, our servicemen from the special military
operation zone are being treated there today.
Of course, this will require certain resources,
and money is always in short supply, but this is a holy cause – we will
definitely find these resources. Why am I saying this? I would like you, Mr
Kryukov, and your colleagues, as heads of leading military medical
institutions, to take part in this work, in shaping the image of modern
military medical institutions.
Yevgeny Kryukov: No doubt, Comrade Supreme Commander-in-Chief,
your assignment will be executed.
To date, this work has already been started. A programme for the construction of new medical institutions and reconstruction
of the existing ones until 2027 has been planned with a clear evaluation of the funding. This year more than 110 billion rubles have already been earmarked for these purposes. And there is an understanding, of course, of the Defence Ministry
leadership, and instructions from the State Secretary and supervising Deputy Defence
Minister of Defence [Anna Tsivileva].
I think that this programme will certainly be
implemented. It is a way to show that we care. Probably nothing is more
valuable today than taking care of our defenders of the Fatherland, our heroes.
Vladimir Putin: This conversation must be translated into
action. Ms Tsivileva, you are aware of this.
Anna
Tsivilyova: For my part, I would like to add that we are indeed completing the construction of a number of facilities. We will open 19 new hospitals by the middle of next year
and seven new, modern and fully equipped hospitals this year. Therefore, the necessary funds have been found.
We are
traveling extensively, inspecting medical centres and military bases where
military personnel is accommodated. You are absolutely right: not all of them
are in proper condition. Nevertheless, 19 new, modern multispeciality hospitals
will open for use by the middle of next year, that is, in the very near future.
Vladimir
Putin: Very good.
I ask you,
as the Deputy Minister in charge of these projects, to keep track of the progress at all times.
I know that
you have only recently joined the ministry, but as I understand it, and as the Minister reported to me this morning, you are generally up to speed, as they
say. You have a degree in medicine, which means you understand what I am
talking about, and you have a professional perspective on these matters.
I really do
hope that this will be accomplished through joint efforts. If you need
additional assistance from the Government, please let us know.
Mr Kryukov,
did you have something to say about the Academy?
Yevgeny
Kryukov: The Military Medical Academy is a unique institution. You have made the decision not
to relocate the academy from its historical premises. That certainly required
significant…
Vladimir
Putin: Indeed, there
were plans to evict you.
Yevgeny
Kryukov: Yes, [there
were plans] to relocate us from here to Lisy Nos. That had certain implications
for our working conditions, of course, since almost all historical buildings
required major repairs and we needed better conditions for treating patients.
Gradually, that problem began to be addressed.
In 2014, we
broke ground on the new multispeciality hospital, where we are now. This year,
the neurology centre got a new building, and patients are now being treated in completely different conditions. This year, plans are in place to open the department
of oral and maxillofacial surgery. The new building is located in another
military community, not far from the Vitebsky railway station. There is a historical building there, the Rauchfuss Hospital, overlooking the Fontanka.
Vladimir
Putin: It is next
to your building, isn’t it?
Yevgeny
Kryukov: Those are
all our buildings, a whole military neighbourhood. Unfortunately, it is also
far from ideal in terms of maintenance. Major repairs and renovations began in 2015, which require significant investment; they are still ongoing. Several
clinics will be commissioned already this year.
Vladimir
Putin: I know. I have visited that site.
Yevgeny
Kryukov: Yes, you
visited that clinic some time ago.
The Academy will mark its 226th anniversary this year. It is one of the oldest medical facilities in Russia. Incidentally, the Burdenko Hospital, which
I had the honour of heading for six years, is the oldest school that trained
military doctors for the army and navy. The first 11 doctors for the army and navy graduated from it in 1711.
Today, the Kirov Military Medical Academy is the only military medical
school of the Defence Ministry that annually graduates… We now enrol about 650
students in specialist degree programmes every year, namely military paramedics
and foreign students. Currently, we have over 630 students from 33 countries,
including Vietnam, Mongolia, African countries and CSTO partner countries.
Th Academy possesses substantial scientific potential, with 15 members
of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and over 400 professors and doctors of science on its staff. It has two branches, in particular the department of training and advanced training of post-graduate specialists in Moscow. A decision has been made to open a branch of the Academy in Sevastopol, which is
logical in terms of history, where we will train specialists with secondary medical
education and offer advanced post-graduate training.
Vladimir Putin: What about your growth potential?
Today, I spoke with head of the Crimean government Sergei Aksyonov, and with Plenipotentiary Presidential Envoy to the Southern Federal District
Vladimir Ustinov, who called on me to establish military medical schools there.

Yevgeny Kryukov: Our Academy is highly respected in Sevastopol
and Crimea. The competition for enrolment at the Academy is one of the highest
among Defence Ministry schools. Competition at the department of doctors for the Armed Forces was 19 people per place for some specialities.
Vladimir Putin: This is impressive.
Yevgeny Kryukov: As for education, I would like to say that the Military Medical Academy is the only Defence Ministry school included in the Priority 2030 programme. This happened more than three years ago.
The additional funding the Academy receives under that programme is
distributed among three areas: research, the improvement of educational
standards and training conditions, and the introduction of information
technology at the Academy.
Allocations under that programme have grown from 100 million rubles when
we joined it to over 650 million rubles of additional funding this year.
Vladimir
Putin: How many
special military operation fighters are currently receiving treatment here?
Yevgeny
Kryukov: In total,
2,000 beds have been set up at the Military Medical Academy. About 1,200 beds are
dedicated to participants in the special military operation.
We have not
been able to convert part of the units, nor do we need to, since we also need
to continue the educational process. For example, the obstetrics and gynaecology unit, and the children’s hospital – the children’s diseases unit –
continue to function as usual.
In the interests of the Military Medical Academy, a seamless space has been created
with district hospital No. 442. This means that all the wounded are assessed
and triaged either at the airfield, or [at the station] where the train
arrives. The most urgent patients are taken to the Military Medical Academy, while
milder cases are transported to hospital No. 442.
In addition, in the interests of the Military Medical Academy, 1,437 beds have
been set up around the city, at Healthcare Ministry hospitals, where the most
serious patients are operated on by Military Medical Academy surgeons. After
that, they need to be transferred to other medical centres, and they are
transported to other medical institutions in St Petersburg or other hospitals around
the Russian Federation.
Vladimir
Putin: Do you need
any additional help in working with service members who have been brought to the academy from the special military operation theatre for treatment?
Yevgeny
Kryukov: Mr
President, the fact is that St Petersburg is a historical city with great
traditions. From the very first days, we have felt genuine support of the people of St Petersburg for the Military Medical Academy, particularly for the wounded being treated here.
We have faced
several challenges since the beginning of the special military operation. In particular, there was a shortage of burn beds, which involve high-tech medicine.
At that time, the Military Medical Academy was the only centre for treating burn
patients in the Armed Forces system. We had a shortage of those beds. Within
ten days, the Starorusskaya, 12 Foundation supplied us with the required number
of beds. The foundation paid for them – and they were delivered, cleared
customs, and were installed at the Military Medical Academy.
In the same
way, every wounded person who enters the Military Medical Academy is surrounded
by care and attention. Each of them is given a pair of sneakers, a tracksuit, and T-shirts. The Military Medical Academy has treated a fairly large number of patients by now, and all of them were provided with everything they needed.
To date,
the Military Medical Academy and the Armed Forces have no problems with medical
supplies or medicines. I have inspected all stages of medical care, including
the most advanced treatments – they have all the necessary medicines.
Vladimir
Putin: Good, I understand.
Thank you.