On May 20, Director General of Almazov CentreEvgeny Shlyakhto and Chief Executive of the St. Petersburg Metro Vladimir Garyugin were declared Honorary Citizens of St. Petersburgby the decision of the St. PetersburgLegislative Assembly.
The Honorary Citizen title is the highest recognition of an outstanding contribution to the development of St. Petersburg, increasing its importance and authority in Russia and globally, strengthening democracy and protecting human rights, as well as in science, art, spiritual and moral development of the society.
Honorary Citizens of St. Petersburg are granted the right of legislative initiative in the St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly.
Evgeny Shlyakhto is the Director General of Almazov National Medical Research Centre, Academician of the Russian Academy of Science, Honoured Scientist of Russia, President of the Russian Society of Cardiology,chief visiting cardiologist of the Russian Ministry of Health for the Volga, Southern, North Caucasian and Northwestern federal districts, chief visiting cardiologist of the Saint Petersburg Health Committee.
In 2020, Evgeny Shlyakhto was appointed the head of the Interdepartmental Medical Working Group at the Interdepartmental Council on the prevention of the spread of the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in St. Petersburg. It targets on solving the most relevant issues of organizing medical care for patients in all areas together with the expert community, Health Committee, Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare (Roszdravnadzor) and Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare (Rospotrebnadzor).
At the time of the epidemic, physicians are coping witha global healthcare challenge. It is symbolic that a doctor and a talented healthcare professional receivedthe title of the Honorary Citizen of St. Petersburg this year.