On 7 December 2024, Almazov National Medical Research Centre was the venue for the XXXVII meeting of the CIS Healthcare Cooperation Council chaired by Mikhail Murashko, Russian Minister of Health. This year, Russia has the privilege of chairing the meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States together with the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Tajikistan.
The Council meeting was attended by representatives of the CIS member states, including health ministers from Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, heads of St. Petersburg's core medical organizations and chairs of the Council's commissions, as well as representatives from the Interparliamentary Assembly of the CIS member states and the CIS Executive Committee. The meeting was also attended by a number of distinguished guests, including Alexander Beglov, Governor of St. Petersburg; Sergey Leonov, Chairman of the Health Committee of the State Duma of the Russian Federal Assembly; and Oleg Ergashev, Vice-Governor of St. Petersburg.
The meeting was inaugurated by Mikhail Murashko, Russian Minister of Health, who emphasized the importance of scientific cooperation between CIS countries. He stated, «Scientific cooperation between countries is efficacious and yields tangible outcomes that enhance life expectancy.»
The welcome address to the Council members and participants of the XXXVII meeting was delivered by Sergey Lebedev, CIS Secretary General, Dmitry Kobitsky, Secretary General and Head of the Secretariat of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly Council, Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federal Assembly, and Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.
Alexander Beglov, Governor of St. Petersburg, also addressed the opening session. He highlighted that St. Petersburg is currently engaged in enhanced collaboration with all CIS countries in the field of medicine and pharmaceuticals. The city attracts patients from across Russia, as well as from partner countries, seeking advanced medical care.
“In recent years, St. Petersburg has become a prominent hub for Russia's pharmaceutical industry. Our enterprises are proud to produce advanced drugs and equipment that are in demand not only in Russia, but also abroad.” He emphasized that St. Petersburg is well-positioned to share its expertise and collaborate with partners in CIS countries on new projects.
The meeting addressed the issues of enhancing the proficiency of managerial personnel in the CIS member states, the prospects for collaboration in the fields of therapy and preventive medicine, the outcomes of initiatives to combat infectious and cancer, the systems in place for preferential drug provision and the application of health technology assessment at the state level. Specific focus was placed on the matters of sanitary and epidemiological well-being and sanitary protection of the territories of the CIS member states, as well as the organization of medical care in emergency situations.
The business programme of the meeting was complemented by an exposition of Almazov Centre's innovative achievements and promising developments. Accompanied by Director General Evgeny Shlyakhto, the Ministers of Health and Chief State Doctors of the Commonwealth of Independent States were given a comprehensive overview of the Almazov Centre's history and its latest achievements in the field of healthcare.
The distinguished guests were given a special tour of Almazov Centre, which included visits to the hybrid operating room, the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, ICU, Situation and Analytical Centres, and Artificial Intelligence Centre.
Foreign experts were very impressed by the Almazov Centre’s facilities and expressed interest in the its various activities. They also expressed hope for continued collaboration between healthcare institutions in CIS countries.