The employer must be responsible for the health of their employee - expert

March 25, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. An employer must be responsible for the health of their employee. This point of view was expressed today at a meeting of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee by the Head of the Department of Therapy of the Faculty of Retraining and Professional Development of the Vitebsk State Medical University, Professor, Doctor of Medical Sciences Vladislav Podpalov, reports a BELTA correspondent. According to the professor, it is time for Belarus to adopt the experience of Western employers who do not extend contracts if an employee has not provided a certificate of medical examination. "The employer's role in stimulating a healthy lifestyle is quite significant," he is convinced. Vladislav Podpalov and the group of VSMU scientists led by him monitored the implementation of the demographic security program in the region and concluded that there is potential for its implementation. To this end, it is necessary to take priority measures for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, which are the main cause of population mortality, as well as to strengthen work on providing primary health care. The professor considers it necessary to strengthen the cardiology service in terms of personnel. Of the 93 cardiologists required by staffing in the region, 36 are working. In addition, centrally purchased modern diagnostic equipment is used inefficiently. For example, a paradoxical situation is developing in Vitebsk: patients with stroke are treated in the neurology department of one hospital, while an expensive device for diagnosing their disease is located in another clinic. Speaking about primary prevention, Vladislav Podpalov expressed confidence in the need to ban smoking in public places - about 75% of the region's population smokes or has quit smoking. An important factor in disease prevention is proper nutrition. Almost 40% of the region's population is overweight. The volume of food intake needs to be reduced, but its quality needs to be improved, the professor stated. -0-