| Currently there are 15 health facilities in the district: a hospital for 180 beds, a polyclinic designed for 300 visits per shift, an outpatient clinic for 60 visits per shift, the Nisimkovichi rural precinct hospital for 50 beds and an outpatient department (in 2001, 20 beds were available), 3 health units (Rovkovichi, Polessye and Merkulovichi), 8 primary health units, 1 aid post (at the vocational school), district dentist's center. The Nisimkovichi rural precinct hospital and rural outpatient facilities are located in typical buildings, the Rovkovichi and Merkulovichi health units are located in good, suitable buildings equipped with autonomous water heating systems. The Polessye rural outpatient unit is housed by an assembly wooden house with a stove heating. 3 out of 10 primary health units have typical accommodations with water heating systems and housing for medical staff. Only the Rovkovichi and Polessye rural outpatient units have their own vehicles. Doctor positions (including dentists) are 70.5; of them 57.5 are filled; individuals employed are 38. As regards the middle-level health personnel, their numbers are 204, 201 and 182, respectively. Thus, the demand for health workers is high. Those needed include 15 doctors: 2 paediatricians, 2 therapists, 3 general practitioners, a psychiatrist, a skin and STD doctor, an ultrasound diagnosis doctor, an X-ray doctor, a physiotherapy doctor, a dentist, and a neuropathologist. All medical staff is employed on a contractual basis. There are no problems related to housing accommodation. The following features in the demographic and health-related indicator range should be specially emphasized: a sharp decrease of birth rate with an increased mortality rate; a negative natural growth of population; and a high infant mortality. Causes of infant mortality include: infections, parasitic diseases, respiratory organs disorders, perinatal conditions, and congenital developmental disorders. Causes of deaths among adult population include: cardio-vascular diseases, neoplasm, symptoms, signs and unidentified conditions, intoxications and injuries. The structure of the population is distinguished by many aged, single and low-income people. These groups fall ill and die most frequently. A high infant mortality rate can be explained by a number of different causes, including among other things personnel issues and the quality of primary health services in general. When faced with dire shortages of medical staff, especially specialists in specific fields, it is difficult to organize comprehensive examination of the population and provide preventive support locally. Therefore, it is badly needed to create travelling medical teams in the Gomel Region Outpatient Clinic. These teams include specialists, laboratory technicians and have portable diagnostic equipment. In 2001, such specialists examined 3,772 persons; of them 2,285 children. Analysis of morbidity among children and adults indicates growing indices, both general and primary, in almost all the classes of illnesses. The main causes of the temporary loss of working ability are injuries and intoxication, followed by viral respiratory infections and neurological conditions. As compared to 2000, there is a rise in infectious and parasitic diseases, cancers, blood and haematogenic organ diseases, blood circulation system and digestive system diseases. Among children, there is an increase of endocrinal disorders (thyroid glands), blood and haematogenic organ diseases (in 2000, 5.7 anaemic conditions per 100,000; in 2001, 43.2). Similar to adults, illnesses of digestive system are increasing (twofold). Congenital disorders continue to grow in number. The number of people who moved to the district from other countries of the former USSR is growing. Medical services (counselling, examination) for such people are not free of charge. Incomes of such families are usually low and examination of children is rather expensive. Therefore, children of such relocated people are sometimes left out of health provisions, poorly examined and feel that their rights have been infringed upon. Children can have access to health rehabilitation in different institutions twice a year. Sanatorium and resort treatment was provided to 3,372 persons (52% of the target); of them 658 adults (30%) and 2,718 children (63.3%). |
