Russia's young medics push for rural healthcare reforms in live Zoom debate

A zoom meeting at the United Russia Public Support Headquarters brought together young medical professionals from Nizhny Novgorod with Denis Protsenko, chairman of the party's healthcare commission. The session aimed to collect proposals for updating the People's Program, focusing on healthcare improvements across the region.

The event took place in an open, interactive format, moderated by Solomon Apoyan. Attendees included students, residents, junior doctors, and nurses from various parts of the region. Discussions covered Protsenko's career, lessons from the pandemic, and ways to better support medical staff.

Key topics included scaling up successful regional practices for recruiting and retaining doctors. Protsenko highlighted that many suggestions centred on improving medical care in rural king areas. The meeting also explored healthcare digitalisation and development initiatives.

Participants noted the success of the Zemsky Doctor programme, launched in 2019. By 2025, it had recruited over 1,200 doctors to rural parts of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. This led to a 25% rise in medical staffing in remote districts and cut patient travel times by 40%. Vacancy rates in rural hospitals also dropped from 35% to 12%.

The session ended with a rapid-fire Q&A, where Protsenko answered personal questions. He agreed to prepare specific regional proposals for the healthcare section of the People's Program.

The meeting produced concrete suggestions for United Russia's updated policy platform. Protsenko's team will now refine the proposals, focusing on rural king healthcare access and staff retention. The outcomes may shape future regional and national healthcare strategies.