MOSCOW, 16 March (BelTA) – MPs of the Union State of Belarus and Russia call to give the Union State campaign to provide comprehensive medical assistance to people affected by the Chernobyl disaster the status of an annual program, BelTA learned from the press service of the Parliamentary Assembly (PA) of the Union State of Belarus and Russia following a meeting of the PA commission on environment, natural resources and accident management.
The MPs were briefed about the execution of the Union State program “Providing comprehensive medical assistance to certain categories of citizens of Belarus and Russia who have been exposed to radiation as a result of the disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant” in 2020. The program is aimed at reducing the incidence of disease and disability caused by radiation exposure and provides for offering advanced and specialized healthcare services and post-surgical rehabilitation. “In 2020, the Union State financed comprehensive medical assistance to 1,288 citizens of Belarus and Russia,” the press service said.
“Members of the PA commission on environment, natural resources and accident management stressed the importance of this campaign and proposed to give it the status of an annual program. This status will guarantee annual funding from the Union State budget and will exempt state customers from the need to justify the expenses annually,” the press service stressed.
The participants of the meeting also reviewed the 2020 results of the program of joint activities of Belarus and Russia within the framework of the Union State to protect the population and rehabilitate the territories affected by the Chernobyl disaster. The targets of the program for 2020 were achieved in full.
“The MPs also discussed the progress in the program of the Union State to provide medical rehabilitation services to children from the regions of Belarus and Russia worst affected by the Chernobyl disaster and other accidents and man-made disasters. In line with the program, 100 children will undergo rehabilitation in healthcare facilities and health resorts of Belarus and Russia. The PA commission on environment, natural resources and accident management decided to continue monitoring the activities to prepare and reconcile the necessary documents to add this program to the draft budget of the Union State for 2022. The Belarusian and Russian healthcare ministries were asked to submit a relevant request to the Standing Committee of the Union State,” the press service added.
