DRKB Chief Physician Airat Ziatdinov: ‘The increase in the incidence of adolescents is of concern’
The first meeting in the Tatarstan — Republic of Achievements series has been held at the Children's Republican Clinical Hospital (DRKB)
Adolescent morbidity has increased by 10% in Tatarstan over the past 5 years. This and the level of children's healthcare in Tatarstan were reported by Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic Leyla Fazleeva and Chief Physician of the Children's Republican Clinical Hospital Airat Ziatdinov. As part of the press tour, journalists were shown the capacities of the DRKB medical and diagnostic base. The speakers reported on the reduction of infant mortality, spoke about the importance of the work of medical volunteers and indicated the causes of childhood trauma. Read the details in the material of Realnoe Vremya.
“There would be fewer childhood injuries if parents paid more attention”
Parents are primarily responsible for childhood injuries. This opinion was expressed by Deputy Prime Minister of Tatarstan Leyla Fazleeva at the meeting with journalists at the DRKB cancer centre. She believes that the level of childhood trauma can be reduced if parents pay more attention to their child.
“The number of childhood injuries, both in Tatarstan and in Russia, could be lower if parents paid the necessary attention to children. Our great responsibility as parents <...> it is to promote the necessary attention to childhood," said the speaker.
She also drew attention to the importance of the work of medical volunteers, whose help is needed in the healthcare sector:
“The institution (DRKB — ed.) never works without the support of parents and volunteers. <...> The sympathy and complicity that volunteers show in the fate of our little patient, it is always very important, significant both for the patient himself and for the parents," said Fazleeva.
The Deputy Prime Minister cited statistics on the amount of assistance provided by volunteers. In total, 6,7 thousand volunteers provide assistance in the field of healthcare in Tatarstan. In total, they spent more than 800 thousand hours in hospitals. Not many children have passed through the medical volunteer system — only 2.6 thousand. Also, according to Fazleeva, the blood bank of the republic was replenished by 1.3 thousand liters thanks to donors.
“Today, a lot depends not only and not so much on the infrastructure and equipment, which are of high quality here. First of all, a lot depends on those specialists who work here, on parents and volunteers," the speaker noted.
Reducing infant mortality
By the results of 2023, infant mortality in Tatarstan decreased by one thousand children, reaching 3.1 ppm. This figure is by 6% lower than last year and 31% lower than the result of 2018. This was stated during the meeting by the chief physician of the DRKB, Airat Ziatdinov.
According to him, the republic holds a leading position in the Volga Federal District in terms of low child mortality. So, in the first half of 2024 in Tatarstan, it amounted to 2.6 ppm, and in the Volga Federal District — 3.7 ppm.
“At the same time, the increase in the incidence of adolescents is of concern. Over 5 years, it has amounted to 10%. Diseases of the respiratory system, eyes and its apparatus, digestive organs, diseases of the muscular and endocrine systems are leading. <...> In this regard, today among the key tasks of the healthcare sector of the republic, it is the protection of adolescent health," Ziatdinov stressed.
He added that more than 851 thousand children live in Tatarstan. They need high-quality medical care, the doctor stressed.
45 thousand children are hospitalised every year
More than 45 thousand children of Tatarstan are hospitalised in the DRKB every year. In total, they perform over 13 thousand operations. 150 thousand residents of the republic get into the reception and diagnostic department, Ziatdinov said.
The hospital has 1,212 beds in four medical buildings. The intensive care and counselling center has 59 places in five departments.
“There are no small things in working with children in the healthcare system. There are probably no little things anywhere when it comes to children. <...> A child comes here with pain, he needs to stabilise, normalise," Fazleeva stressed.