Lukashenko: Healthcare is a vital part of the country's security

MINSK, 23 May (BelTA) - Healthcare is an important part of the country's security, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at a meeting to discuss the country's most important healthcare issues on 23 May, BelTA has learned.

Aleksandr Lukashenko said that he had announced the plans for this meeting during his Address to the Belarusian people and the National Assembly in order to thoroughly review the most acute problems of the national healthcare and take necessary decisions. “That is why professionals, starting from practicing doctors to senior officials, have been invited to this hall to have this important discussion,” he said.

“Healthcare does not only mean treatment of patients. It is also a vital part of security of any state. There will be no economy without a healthy nation. There will be no real sovereignty and independence without discipline and readiness to properly respond to modern challenges,” the Belarusian leader said.

According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, the national healthcare system proved its worth and passed a good test during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Against the background of other states, we have passed this test quite well. We have confirmed the consistency of our healthcare system. I would like once again to thank all medics for their hard work and remind you what I said during the pandemic: I thank you not for the fact that you worked (you get paid for it) but for the fact that you quickly found treatment methods for this virus in a very difficult situation, under such psychological pressure,” the president said.