Putin’s Healthcare Optimization Program has Closed 14 of the 17 Psychiatric Clinics Open in Moscow a Decade Ago

Paul Goble
    Staunton, Jan. 31 – To save money on healthcare and make it available for military aggression, Putin a decade ago launched what he calls his “optimization” program. That has led to the closure of clinics across the country and has even hit psychiatric treatment centers in Moscow, traditionally the last place to suffer from Kremlin initiatives.
    Ten years ago, there were 17 psychiatric hospitals in Moscow; now, there are three; and the stress has shifted from providing comprehensive treatment to providing outpatient services. As a result, observers say, many of those who have passed through the system are now exiting it worse off than they were at the start (svpressa.ru/blogs/article/447809/).
    What makes the situation especially bad is that the three remaining hospitals are not full service and patients often have to go long distances to get the various kinds of treatment they need. Many elect not to do so and thus are far worse off than they were before Putin went looking to save money on treatment for some of Russian society’s most vulnerable.