National project Health must retain momentum - Medvedev

MOSCOW, July 4 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev
believes it is necessary to maintain the current pace of implementing the national project Health.

"We shall try not to lose momentum," he said at a meeting with the
leading pediatricians of the world on Friday, who gathered in Moscow for a
world congress of children's doctors.
"This is the main guideline for the government, the Health and Social
Development Ministry and other colleagues, including the finance minister,
to follow," he said.
Medvedev believes that the national project must be continued in order
not to waste the achievements attained so far.
"We cannot afford to limit the tasks we have set to ourselves," he
believes. "It would be irresponsible for me to say we shall resolve
everything this year or next year. But we've got to move on - some places
faster, and some places slower, but we must retain momentum."
"Should we stop, should we end the national project, for instance, if
we stop after upgrading the system of running the health service, we shall
waste everything we have accomplished so far. Nobody wishes to start it
all over again. We've got to keep these methods of work even if we are
aware that this (the national project) is not forever," Medvedev said.


.Russian watchdog allows import of meat, pigs from four US states.


MOSCOW, July 4 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia's federal veterinary and
phytosanitary watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor has lifted the ban from the import
of any meat, including pork and related products, as well as livestock,
from four US states - Illinois, Pennsylvania, Texas and New Jersey.
"The measure follows the stabilization of the epizootic and
epidemiological situation with regard to the new flu virus H1N1,"
Rosselkhoznadzor said. The cancellation of the ban that was imposed due to
the fast proliferation of the new flu virus is effective from July 3, 2009.


.Medvedev hails idea of comprehensive medical checkups of teenagers.


MOSCOW, July 4 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has
hailed the Russian medical workers' idea of reviving the system of
comprehensive medical checkups of teenagers.
As the president met on Friday with the leading pediatricians of the
world who are taking part in the 4th world congress of children's doctors
in Moscow, the director of the Child Health Center under the Russian
Academy of Medical Science, Alexander Baranov, voiced the proposal for
launching a special program for the problems of teenagers' health and for
a "wholesale and comprehensive medical examination of teenagers."
"As far as the comprehensive and thorough medical examination is
concerned, it requires no special arguments in its favor. We should give
thought to how to make it a reality within the tightest deadlines,"
Medvedev said. "The more so, since we have the Soviet experience to rely
on. There was such a thing in those days. On the other hand, the technique
of such examinations was different. If we are to introduce the overall
examination by specialists, this must be done at a different technological
level."
Baranov believes that the program for addressing the problem of
teenagers' health must be implemented over three years, four at the latest.
"It may have a good potential and include the total examination of
14-year-olds," he said. "If we carried out the comprehensive medical
checkups of young men and women now, then we would be able to take the
necessary health-building measures before they turn 18 and they would be
able to start the adult live in a different condition than those who come
of age today. This is quite achievable, and it will not require too much
money. We shall try to present such a program."
As he dwelt on the theme of comprehensive medical checkups in general,
the president urged the most fundamental attitude to this issue.
"Conditions vary. Checkups in Moscow and checkups in district centers
are still very different. The standards are to be equalized, more
equipment provided and medical technologies advanced," Medvedev said.