The Meeting of Chief Neurosurgeons of Federal Districts

The meeting of the Chief neurosurgeons of Federal districts was held at the premises of N.N.Burdenko’s Neurosurgical Institute (Moscow) on March 12, 2021. Co-chairmen of the meeting were Professor Dmitry Y.Usachev, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Professor Vladimir V.Krylov, Chief Neurosurgeon of the Russian Ministry of Health, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

External experts in neurosurgery of all federal districts presented their reports. Acute issues of neurosurgical aid to patients with vascular and oncological pathologies were discussed. The participants talked about the necessity of purchasing new equipment or replacement of worn-out devices. The problems in all federal districts are practically the same but remote regions also face problems of patients’ transportation and routing due to long distances between towns, underdeveloped transport infrastructure, etc.

The above mentioned problems are not the main ones. The main concern is irregularity of neurosurgeons’ assignment in neurosurgical hospitals of our large country. This concerns not only Siberia and Far East regions as it may seem for the first sight.  Irregular assignment of neurosurgeons exists also in the Central region. A paradoxical situation occurs: there are enough sage neurosurgeons and really good neurosurgical divisions in Moscow but as for the administrative centers within a radius of 400-500 km an evidential staff shortage occurs.

Really dramatic things stay behind these words: quality reduction of urgent neurosurgical aid, depletion of professionals from administrative and regional centers. Generally speaking, the problems are recurrent and they don’t have quick and simple solutions.

Speaking about Siberian Federal District, here we do our best to change this situation training the doctors and sending them to Siberian regional and krai hospitals. We do it gradually during 5-6 years. There is no quick result and we shouldn’t wait for it but small interim results are seen. Our graduates with whom we maintain professional and friendship contacts work in Ulan-Ude, Barnaul, Novosibirsk. It’s known that educational activities are not fast moving, they demand patience, meekness and understanding that thorny but worthful and interesting way is ahead.

So, we’ll continue our educational initiatives together with the colleagues from the Federal Neurosurgical Center and Siberian Association of Neurosurgeons.

I would like to once again make appeal the colleagues to participate in educational programs as well as in scientific and educational events held under the auspices of “SibNeuro”.

Sincerely yours,
Jamil Rzaev