In Russia, a trip to the hospital may be what lands you in the morgue -- and that's if you ever get to the hospital in the first place. Russia needs its doctors. The country's citizens are the No. 1 smokers and the No. 4 drinkers per capita worldwide, in a region with the most rapidly expanding HIV/AIDS crisis on the planet. Russian male life expectancy is about 60 years, nearly two decades less than those of some of its neighbors not far to the west. Forty years ago, Russia was a leader in health care, ranking 22nd in the world; by 2000 it had fallen to 130th, the lowest in Europe and just four places above Sudan, according to a World Health Organization report on the world's health systems.
Free medical treatment is guaranteed under the Russian Constitution, but outside Moscow, the right to health seems to be reserved for those who can pay for private care. In some hospitals, lifesaving equipment dates back to the Soviet era, and air conditioning is a rarity -- even after 11,000 Muscovites died in a heat wave last year. In 2007, horrifying reports of child abuse surfaced. Orphaned infants left in a hospital in the central Russian city of Yekaterinburg had their mouths taped in order to muffle their cries. Babies are often tied down in their cribs in understaffed hospitals. A hospital near Moscow made headlines in 2009 when two orphaned girls were repeatedly attacked by a large rat running loose in the ward. Prison hospitals are infamous for refusing adequate treatment, like one in St. Petersburg where 30 inmates perished in a six-month span this year.
Above, parents wait with their injured child at a hospital in Kazan, Russia, on June 17, 2001.
Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images
(11)
HIDE COMMENTS LOGIN OR REGISTER REPORT ABUSE
BRAUERR31
1:14 PM ET
August 27, 2011
Wow.
It's scary to think that some people are subjected to medical treatment like this. I'm so fortunate to be living in the United States, where medical costs are high, yet the care is overall very good. I can't imagine what it would be like to have a serious medical condition in a place like Russia, where the health system is completely broken and dangerous. I guess I'll have to just count my blessings that I live in a great place and continue to worry about my "big problems" like how to get rid of blackheads and other petty things, instead of worrying about my life like many people in the rest of the world do.
AMYEVANS1976
10:28 AM ET
September 20, 2011
They have improved these years...
Agree with you, and it is the same here in Australia. Medical treatment and facilities show how advanced and developed a country is. My friend who works in a local height increase firm suggests that Russia has actually improved significantly in their medical field these years.
URGELT
1:15 PM ET
August 27, 2011
Russian Hospitals
As a layperson, I have to admit that I could not always decipher what, exactly, in each photograph demonstrates the deadly nature of Russia's hospitals. I would have appreciated a fuller textual description of the visual points being made.
I do enjoy FP's visual tours, however. It's a brilliant concept, and the photography is excellent.
LIZARDO
1:29 PM ET
August 27, 2011
Odd Article
This 'article' is seriously lacking in context and information to support the headline.
The first picture looks exactly like the lobby in the hospital I visited in Ekaterinburg in 2001.
In fact, most of the pictures here are ten years old, how are things looking today?
Now, when I was in the hospital there in 2001 the scissors they used to cut the stitches were donated by Stalin in the 30s and were broken. That said, this is not an informative or timely article. It's just a statement of a few random cases over a ten year period.
Absolute fluff. The editors should be more demanding.
RMDUENAS
11:17 AM ET
August 29, 2011
Could not agree more
Why publish pictures that go back to 2001? Surely, things have changed since then. It would be nice to see 2011 pictures of health facilities throughout Russia, and not only in conflict areas. And, as other reader said, compare them with pictures in some US emergency rooms. I was at once recently, and it took 8 hours before my friend was taken care of.
MARFAVASILVNA
4:11 AM ET
August 28, 2011
because its free
The article is true concerning medical care which is free, though the pictures are too old and most of them taken in central regions of Russia. But Russia has a great number of private medical institutions with great doctors and equipment, at the same time with high prices for their services. Maybe it would have been better to compare the government and private institutions at the time when Russian government is claiming to invest millions in its medical system.
SERIOUSBLAC
5:56 PM ET
August 28, 2011
How awful
The mighty sure have fallen. I can only hope Russia can pull itself together for it's people and thrive as it did in the past. Albeit i'm hoping it will thrive in a more positive way then before.
Anyway, just browsing while taking advantage of this great mobile web design so I can read it through my smart phone.
Best wishes to Russia and it's people
FRIVPRO
6:43 AM ET
August 29, 2011
useful information
Friv: Nice articles, thank you for sharing with us.(friv games friv mini)
RKNORR
2:59 PM ET
September 1, 2011
A hospital near Moscow made
A hospital near Moscow made headlines in 2009 when two orphaned girls were repeatedly attacked by a large rat running loose in the ward. Prison hospitals are infamous for refusing adequate treatment urlaub 2012, wohnung aachen, like one in St. Petersburg where 30 inmates perished in a six-month span this year.
GARRYBARRY
2:20 AM ET
September 18, 2011
Broken heath care
An interesting topic and article for us to discuss and debate. Splendid points made above about Photos from a truly broken health-care system. I agree with many of these. I appreciate you taking time to write this article. It's really good reading and learning new things on sudjects I wouldn't normally read about and seeing other peoples views on these critical matters. I recommend everyone in the mp3 download and dj hire association read them too. Best, Garrys.
THOMASENA142
8:09 AM ET
September 24, 2011
Russia's Deadly Hospitals
Photos from a truly broken health-care system. An interesting topic and article for us to discuss and debate. Splendid points made above about Photos from a truly broken health-care system. I agree with many of these. I appreciate you taking time to write this article. It's really good reading and learning new things on sudjects I wouldn't normally read about and seeing other peoples views on these critical matters. I recommend everyone in the he said This 'article' is seriously lacking in context and information to support the headline. The first picture looks exactly like the lobby in the hospital I visited in Ekaterinburg in 2001. In fact, most of the pictures here are ten years old, how are things looking today? Now, when I was in the hospital there in 2001 the scissors they used to cut the stitches were donated by Stalin in the 30s and wer