Medicines will be delivered to remote villages by specially equipped Gazelles, with production adjustments being made at the Gorky Automobile Plant (GAZ), reports the Parliamentary Newspaper.
As Badma Bashankayev, first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Health Protection, informed the publication, GAZ has developed vehicles specifically designed for this purpose. These vehicles will feature sufficient off-road capabilities, optimized energy consumption, and meet the necessary standards for storing medicines.
The idea of delivering medicines to remote and hard-to-reach settlements through mobile pharmacies has been under consideration for several years. The Ministry of Health announced the launch of these mobile pharmacies at the end of 2023, aiming to improve access to essential medicines for residents in underserved areas. As Deputy Minister of Health of the Russian Federation Sergey Glagolev said at the time, the approval of by-laws that will allow the launch of mobile pharmacy points is at the final stage. However, that never happened.
According to Bashankayev, the bill on mobile pharmacies will be submitted to the State Duma in the fall. The Duma deputy stressed that work on the document began a year and a half ago and this is a priority project for the United Russia faction.
According to statistics, Russia currently has over 70,000 pharmacies, with the majority situated in urban areas. Residents of some villages have to travel to regional centers to obtain essential medicines. According to Bashankayev, 10 regions will participate in the delivery experiment, including Kalmykia, Kabardino-Balkaria, and the Arkhangelsk Region.
“Mobile pharmacies are of great social importance. “This will make it possible to bring necessary medicines to every senior citizen in any village according to a schedule,” the United Russia deputy concluded.
