Alexander Lukashenko visited the Semashko Hospital and the meat and canning plant in Orsha

During his visit to the Orsha region, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko visited City Hospital No. 1 named after Semashko of the healthcare institution "Orsha Central Polyclinic" and the meat and canning plant.

Chief physician Sergey Karaka reported on the results of the medical institution's work and the organization of planned and emergency medical care, including for patients with COVID-19.

– Hospitals are functioning in a "mixed" mode, – noted Sergey Anatolyevich. – Over the past week, 68 beds have been repurposed to the normal operating mode. Currently, there are 362 infectious disease beds in the region's healthcare facilities, where 325 patients with COVID-19 infection are receiving treatment. There are 17 patients in the available 20 intensive care beds, 5 of whom are on mechanical ventilation. 201 oxygen outlets are functioning, and 134 patients are receiving support.

The main volume of medical care for patients with COVID-19 is provided at City Hospital No. 1. As of November 5, 289 beds have been repurposed, where 231 patients are being treated; 14 intensive care beds have been allocated, 11 of which are occupied, including 3 patients on mechanical ventilation; 145 oxygen supply points have been equipped, and 104 patients are receiving oxygen support.

At the same time, the hospital continues to provide medical care to patients with non-infectious diseases. The institution offers high-tech surgical neurosurgical and traumatological interventions, and the angiographic operating room is working intensively.

By the way, the OCP includes outpatient clinics, 23 paramedic and obstetric stations, and 7 hospital organizations: Semashko City Hospital No. 1, City Hospital No. 3, the City Maternity Hospital, and 4 rural district hospitals. The total capacity of the healthcare institution's inpatient facilities is 1145 beds, including 40 day-care beds, 55 nursing care beds, and 1050 round-the-clock beds, as well as 10 medical rehabilitation beds funded from extra-budgetary sources.

During his visit to Semashko City Hospital No. 1 in Orsha, Alexander Lukashenko spoke about the problem of labor migration of doctors.

According to him, some medical professionals, after receiving free education in Belarus, go abroad and start working there. The Head of State believes that this problem needs to be solved.

– You come to university to study – you finish it. We trained you – for example, work for 10 years. We need to dot the i's and cross the t's, – said Alexander Lukashenko.

The Head of State also touched upon the issue of doctors' and teachers' salaries.

– The level of these salaries for doctors must be maintained. Doctors in our public sector will be the locomotive for salaries, and we will also bring up teachers, – noted the President. – There can be no country without doctors and teachers. This is our true intelligentsia.

The Head of State emphasized that when discussing any projects or during meetings, he wants to hear different opinions. But at the same time, officials must understand: they work for the state, so they must adhere to the established course.

Alexander Lukashenko inquired in detail about the organization of medical care, including the work of admission departments, the number and effectiveness of operating rooms, and the treatment of patients throughout the Orsha district.

After visiting the red zone, the President of Belarus met with the staff of Semashko City Hospital No. 1.

Medical workers from the Orsha region asked the President for assistance in purchasing an MRI machine.

– We will provide assistance! – the President promised. – But large sums of money are needed to purchase such diagnostic equipment.

First of all, major medical institutions in Minsk were equipped with MRI machines, then – in regional cities. Now, 11 large cities in the country, such as Orsha, are next in line.

Touching upon the issue of modernization, the Head of State recalled that a new building had previously been constructed at the city hospital, and the healthcare institution itself had been equipped with modern equipment.

One of the questions to the President concerned lifestyle and the presence of optimism in the context of the pandemic. According to Alexander Lukashenko, it is important to live a normal life, including eating normally, with one's own, not imported, products. As an example, the President cited his daily routine, where physical activity plays a significant role.

The next unplanned stop on Alexander Lukashenko's working schedule was the Orsha Meat Canning Plant. Communicating with the enterprise's staff, the Head of State stated that everything should be approached reasonably and thriftily. At the Orsha Meat Canning Plant, the President inquired about how the workflow in the new workshop would be organized and what was planned for the old production and utility buildings. As it turned out, the construction of a new beef slaughter workshop is nearing completion, all the necessary equipment has been installed, and commissioning works will begin in the coming days. The workshop is planned to be commissioned by the end of the year.

"Vitebskiye Vesti"

Photo by "BELTA"