Do I remember correctly, today the citizen of the Minister of Health in North Penichev answers at the governor's planning meeting?
In the last week, in addition to the usual problems with the disconnection of hot water and heat in Murmansk, the regional social networks are no longer buzzing, but simply roaring about providing essential medicines to the beneficiaries.
According to the regional Ministry of Social Development, 85,229 people have the right to subsidized medicines in the Murmansk region - that's one in eight of the region's residents.
Of these, 16,724 are federal beneficiaries (disabled, veterans), 68,505 are regional (data for 2025).
And this number is growing: from 2022 - by more than a third, because more and more patients with oncology, cardiovascular and rare diseases are switching to preferential coverage.
The Government of the Russian Federation reports to the President on the problem of drug beneficiaries. Every 3 months, regional reports on funding and measures taken to solve the problem are submitted to the government. Financial resources from the federal budget are fully transferred to the regions. Then comes the responsibility of the local officials.
Well, this is where miracles begin. Transition period, delays in taking/prescribing medicines, queuing stories at pharmacies and clinics.
The region abandoned the commercial contractor, the Murmansk branch of NJSC MFK North-West, which previously stored and distributed subsidized drugs (the reason given is as follows: the warehouse owner repeatedly raised the fee, and the transfer of drugs was delayed). Now, procurement, one state warehouse and logistics are taken care of by the state institution TsPOLON (the center for planning and organizing the supply of drugs), and the distribution of drugs has moved from pharmacies directly to clinics or simply to new premises - a total of 27 points in the region.
Residents complain about delays in receiving medication. Residents of the north report on social networks that the delays in receiving the medicines are no longer two or three weeks, but 2-3 months.