Support The Moscow Times!

Health Ministry Gears Up for Mass Medical Checkups

Pull up your shirt and hold your breath — the Health Ministry is itching to launch a mass wave of medical checkups.

Starting next year, every Russian adult will have to undergo a comprehensive medical checkup once in every three years, according to a statement posted Tuesday on the ministry's official website.

The tests will include medical checkups by doctors with different specializations, followup checkups, disease-prevention counseling and, if necessary, medical interventions and health monitoring.

The ministry's primary objective is to detect at an early stage chronic noncommunicable diseases that are the key cause of disability and premature deaths in the country, the statement said, adding that the bulk of the medical tests will be carried out by medical clinics and their therapists.

The checkups will also help detect major risk factors of chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and blood sugar, obesity, poor nutrition, low physical activity and bad habits including smoking, alcohol consumption and drug use.

Screening programs will differ depending on the age and gender of the patient and will be carried out in two stages. The first checkup will take place when the patient is 21 years old, after which the checkups will happen at three-year intervals.

World War II veterans and full-time students will have to undergo the medical tests annually.

Related articles:

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more