What Belarusians Say About Lukashenka’s € 100 Million Clinic, Which He Never Attends

“That’s wasted money, the quality is terrible.”

In December 2017, the old treatment commission building (the hospital for high officials) near the Dynama stadium was handed over to the city, and new buildings were built for the presidential clinic outside the city - near Zhdanovichy. Since then, it turns out that Lukashenka has not had time to use the services of the center. The Village writes about what Lukashenka has missed, and what ordinary Belarusians can afford if they want to be treated “presidentially”.

In 2015, by the decree of Lukashenka, the construction of a new medical center (popularly referred to as the treatment commission) in Zhdanovichy began. The turnkey construction of the facility took 100 million euros and two years of time.

What kind of center is it?

In the Chyrvonaarmeyskaya street, right at its intersection with the Ulyanauskaya Street, there was the Republican Clinical Medical Center (RCMC) - it was called the treatment commission. High-ranking Belarusian officials were treated here. At the end of 2017, the Council of Ministers decided that the buildings of the medical center would become the property of the city by the way of gratuitous transfer. Some of the buildings went to the 2nd city clinical hospital, which is located next door; and the old beautiful building at Chyrvonaarmeyskaya, 15 became a clinic for the special contingent. A new RCMC hospital was built near Zhdanovichy, on the southern shore of the Drazdy reservoir. The center building was developed by the Level80 Architects.

In December 2019, Lukashenka confessed that he had never been to this clinic:

- They write - “presidential hospital” ... I have never been to this hospital! Go, take a look - a regular hospital. You look at the equipment installed in Barauliany today - the presidential hospital does not even come close!

True, Lukashenka said that the new center should become almost a new academy of medical sciences:

- We, having built a compact, small medical center, saved about 400 million euros. That’s the whole conspiracy thesis of this question. I will not hide: the task was set to create an ultramodern hospital where the latest technologies will be worked out, on the basis of this center.

Is the new hospital just for bureaucrats, too?

The center operates in accordance with the decree of Lukashenka dated February 8, 2018 #60-fou “On the Republican Clinical Medical Center” and the List of Serviced Persons attached to it. The coding “fou” means “for official use” - it is not easy for a non-involved person to study the list of these most serviced people. From the report of the Ministry of Health for 2018 it is known that there are about 6 thousand people on this list, - the list was again established by a closed resolution of the Ministry of Health dated March 21, 2018 #29-fou.

Shortly before the center opened, Lukashenka said that it was built not only for faithful ministers of the vertical: “I emphasize: to service our population, not only, as they say or reason, officials or public servants, although not without them.”

True, Lukashenka believed that the services here would be affordable only to rich people:

- If you are not satisfied with the service in some Minsk hospital, you can come, pay money (because you will be serviced out of place) and be serviced here. Don’t we have enough rich people today, who are ready to pay money and conduct some research to establish an accurate diagnosis?

But two years later, he changed his vision (or read the price list):

- Several thousand people are assigned to the presidential clinic, while there are only 20 people among the members of the Government. But even if someone is not recorded at all, please come and be treated. I think that money is not that big to worry about...

And how much does the examination cost there?

Journalists compared the RCMC with other state clinics, as well as with several private centers. Prices in our establishments may differ depending on the citizenship of a person who applied for help: Belarus, the CIS, or a foreigner from the rest of the world. Of course, everything is cheaper for Belarusians, but for foreigners and CIS workers, prices can be several times higher. The journalists took as an example the prices for ordinary Belarusians.

MRI OF THE BRAIN:

RCMC: from BYN 139,02;

MINSK CITY ONCOLOGICAL DISPENSARY: from BYN 144,28;

“LODE”: from BYN 244,33;

“AVICENNA”: from BYN 216.

ULTRASOUND OF THE ABDOMEN:

RCMC: BYN 30,89;

City Clinical Hospital #6: BYN 27,8;

“LODE”: BYN 91,93;

INVITRO: BYN 41,72.

TREADMILL TEST (ELECTROCARDIOGRAM WITH A LOAD)

RCMC: BYN 19,96;

City Clinical Hospital #2: BYN 33,95;

“LODE”: BYN 26,67;

“NOVARITM”: BYN 21,26.

COLONOSCOPY:

RCMC: BYN 80,29;

City Clinical Hospital #1: BYN 54,47;

“LODE”: from BYN 77;

“SEVENTH SKY”: from BYN 95.

GYNECOLOGIST, PRIMARY RECEPTION:

RCMC: BYN 25,7;

City Clinical Hospital #5: up to BYN 29,14;

“LODE”: from BYN 36;

“NORDIN”: from BYN 36,9.

MAMMOPLASTY WITH ENDOPROTHESIS (1 SIDE):

RCMC: BYN 252,9;

City Clinical Hospital #4: BYN 388,1;

“LODE”: BYN 800 to 1.250;

“NORDIN”: from BYN 1.250.

What do people say about the service there?

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The capacity of the center is 250 visits per shift, there are 100 beds in the hospital, 12 more in intensive care. For two years of the center’s work, not only hundreds of officials, but also ordinary Belarusians passed through it. Gone and left their feedback. There are much more positive reviews than negative ones; patients not only write “Everything is good,” but they also praise specific doctors by giving their names and surnames. Of course, there are also negative reviews, but here the name of the doctor is revealed much less often. The authors’ spelling has been saved.

Aksana

I have been treated by mammologist Aliaksei V. recently. There was a surgery, a sectoral resection of the breast (central zone), I paid 258 rubles, I thought I got to the professionals,but I was mistaken. There was a rough postoperative scar with lumps, the breast was tightened, and deformed strongly. There has been no post-surgery observation and treatment by this doctor, just neglect, and the diagnosis was not confirmed.

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Uladzimir

I’d like to express my sincere admiration of the highest professionalism shown during a long and complicated surgery of replacing the aortic valve of the heart. I am delighted with this example of high cardiac surgical excellence, and rejoice at the brilliant surgery performed. I am glad that in our country there is such a wonderful doctor, he is very attentive to the patient, he knows and loves his job, and thanks to the amazing skill of Aliaksandr Paulavich, an operation corresponding to the 21st century was successfully performed. Thank you so much for your support, promptness and treatment, you have accomplished the almost impossible.

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Elenaki

Two beds, very good, wide, comfortable, excellent mattresses, clean linen. On the bed lay two more towels, a nightgown and a bathrobe. I’d like to say a few words precisely about the nightgown and the bathrobe. Perhaps, for the reasons of hygiene and washing, bathrobes should be made exactly of flannel, but their appearance clearly returned to the Soviet past - grandmother's coloring, size, probably one - so that a person from 44 to 58 could get in. It is not forbidden to wear your own clothes, but you are supposed to wear their clothing during surgery. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are brought to the ward. Everything is packed in a special container so that the food is warm. Porcelain dishes. And one more small touch - all the dishes are just white, a typical restaurant option, but for some reason the cups were of different sizes. The food is quite normal, I went to all meals. I did not like the breakfast. But this is my subjective opinion - I can’t eat buckwheat with a huge meatball for breakfast, I had to confine myself to a sandwich and tea.

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Iryna

I came to the clinic after a long and unsuccessful treatment of synovitis in the knee joint in the city clinic and hospital in Brest. Dr. Yauhen Piatkevich proposed to conduct medical diagnostic arthroscopy. The surgery went well. 14 days after the surgery, the swelling almost disappeared, after 1.5 years of long torment, the knee is recovering with good dynamics. The scars, even after such a short period, are visually extremely small. I would like to thank the doctor for his brilliant skills.

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Aksana

I was at a consultation with a mammologist, the diagnosis is poor, the doctors are boorish, the attitude is dismissive, you pay money and get a lot of negativity, it is not clear who and how they treat.

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Huryeva Alena

Aliaksandr Paulavich Shket, head of the department of operating cardiac surgery, is the guardian angel of our family. Twice he operated on my spouse (stratification of the aortic section), he also successfully performed planned David surgery (prosthetics of the aortic root), considered an example of high cardiac surgery skill, on my son. Thank you so much for your responsiveness, professionalism, for doing the almost impossible.

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Alena Mikalayeuna

I did screening examination there. It was awful! Signing up is difficult at a specific date. The time of visiting doctors was discoordinated, ultrasound of the abdomen was appointed at 14.30, imagine,nothing but a sip of water the previous evening, I don’t understand how such a procedure can be conducted in the afternoon. As for gynecology, they don’t carry out all the tests, the rest go for an additional fee. In short, for ordinary people, it is not comfortable, not convenient, you will get a superficial examination for your money, not cheap I would say. Although others are taken to the doctors’ offices without remarks, with a smile ..... But these are not ordinary people. So you found time, paid money, and received a lot of negativity as a result. In short, nonsense, all this is not worth it ... I do not recommend screening examination!

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Iryna

I did CT with contrast. Many thanks to radiologist Katsiaryna Rudas, and the entire team of the RCT department for their sensitive attitude and understanding of the state of a frightened person who is waiting for the final diagnosis in the corridor of the clinic. Bright eyes and a soothing voice - this is so important to everyone who seeks help! Thank you not only for professionalism, but also for humanity!

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Alena

I turned to a dermatologist of the highest category, Yana Senatarava, for a consultation on a paid basis. At the appointment, the doctor was dealing with the questions of another “more important” patient, all the while being distracted by calls. She didn’t sort out my problem, answering that perhaps this is your peculiarity, I didn’t receive any recommendations or treatment methods, she prescribed Panthenol, a wound healing agent, and sent me to a psychotherapeutist to accept myself and reconcile myself to the problem. A terrible attitude towards the patient, for a doctor of the highest category, this level is unacceptable in an institution of this level. Take the money and shift the responsibility to another doctor who is essentially not directly related to this problem. Wasted money, terrible quality.