WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3960/98 by Jyrki OTILA to the Commission. Decline in public health in Russia
Date: 1999-01-04
Institutions: European Parliament, OTILA
Subjects: Russia, disease prevention, health care, health policy, humanitarian aid, infectious disease, life expectancy, public health, sexually transmitted disease, social services

C 207/152

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.7.1999

(1999/C 207/211)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3960/98

by Jyrki Otila (PPE) to the Commission

(4 January 1999)

Subject: Decline in public health in Russia

During the 1990s, public health has declined substantially in Russia. Life expectancy has declined by ten years.
Life expectancy in Russia is now 10 years shorter than the EU average and corresponds to the average figure
for the least developed Asian countries.

This is a consequence of the collapse of the country’s political and social system. One cause for concern is the
renewed spread of infectious diseases in Russia which it was thought had already been effectively eliminated in
Europe. These include tuberculosis and venereal diseases. The development of health care in Russia is one
element in the building of a completely new society.

What will the Commission do to improve the sorry state of public health in Russia?

Answer given by Mr van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(1 February 1999)

In the field of health care, the 1996-1999 Tacis indicative programme (1) for Russia singles out support to the
health sector as a priority. Tacis is currently implementing several key projects with the ministry of health in
selected regions, aimed at improving management of health care systems (two projects for 7,5 millions euro),
and at improving preventive health care policies (4 millions euro). Specific attention is paid to the Republic of
Karelia, where one project focuses on reforming the health and social care systems (2,6 millions euro). For
1999, Tacis will implement a project on the reform of the financing of the health care system (2,5 millions
euro).

Furthermore, from 1993 to 1997, the Commission has been carrying out humanitarian operations, also
addressing medical needs, in favour of the Russian population. Under the 1998 budget, an amount of
1,2 millions euro has been allocated and after the financial crisis of August 1998 and the further deterioration
of the public health situation, the Commission renewed efforts to tackle the most urgent needs: a special
allocation for Russia of 5,4 millions euro was decided in December 1998 to address problems of tuberculosis
(especially in its multi-drug resistant forms) and the provision of emergency assistance to refugees and people
displaced within the territory of the New Independent States.

(1)

SEC(96) 1510.

(1999/C 207/212)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3978/98

by Klaus Lukas (NI) to the Commission

(4 January 1999)

Subject: Commission’s ‘Common Services’ Unit

The Commission set up a ‘Common Services’ Unit in order to make the running of various EU programmes
more efficient.

In this connection, would it please answer the following questions?

= Has the Commission now acquired any initial experience concerning the work of this unit?

= What has its experience been, and what conclusions have been drawn?

= For what tasks is this unit currently responsible?

= How many projects, and which ones, is this unit currently looking after?

= How many posts were scheduled for this unit?