“Unfortunately, the risk of cancer in women remains high, especially at an early age. Although women of all age groups must have regular check-ups, while future mothers require special attention,” Svetlana Medvedeva said.
The First Lady announced that a Non-Profit Diagnostic Health Centre for Women specialising in prevention of dangerous diseases of women is to be established in St Petersburg. The centre will be financed through charitable donations.
“There are successful modern treatment methods but it is far more effective to prevent diseases, especially in the early stages,” Svetlana Medvedeva explained. She said that should the centre’s patients require further treatment, they will be referred to specialised medical facilities.
Svetlana Medvedeva said there were plans to establish more such clinics after the first centre is launched in St Petersburg. “In the long run there will be an association of charitable health centres across the country,” the First Lady said.
The meeting was attended by St Petersburg Healthcare Minister Yuri Shcherbuk, director of maternal and child care development department at the Ministry of Healthcare and Social Development Valentina Shirokova, deputy director for research at the Kulakov Research Centre for Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Perinatology Vera Prilepskaya, deputy director of the Russian Research Centre for Radiology and President of the Russian Association of Breast Specialists Nadezhda Rozhkova, Professor of Clinical Anaesthesiology at University of Southern California Vladimir Zelman, director of the Norris Breast Centre at University of Southern California Christy Russell, and chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology at University of Southern California Stephen Sener.