Medic decries unbearable pressure from investigators, seeks public aid
Medical staff in Transbaikalia have expressed frustration over ongoing rude and aggressive behavior by law enforcement investigators.
On January 21, Olga Broom, the chief freelance specialist in obstetrics and gynecology at the Ministry of Health of Zabaikalsky Krai, spoke at the Civic Forum in Chita about how medical workers are experiencing stress due to rude treatment from investigators.
«Our high-risk specialties—obstetrics, gynecology, anesthesiology, surgery—are feeling pressure from the Investigative Committee that is already unbearable. The personnel in the Investigative Committee has changed. Since 2015, we concluded an agreement, found a certain consensus with investigators—they started making concessions, started coming themselves so that at least doctors wouldn»t have to go there. Now the staff of investigators has changed—it«s simply impossible. Young, arrogant ones have come who want to earn themselves certain stars, a position. They call at any time of day or night. I think that not only the Ministry of Health should get involved, but the public as well. They call on Saturdays, at 9 p.m. They say: »When I want, then I call.« We need a strong rear in the form of the legal community. This has been festering and come to a head,» Broom said.
Tatiana Belokritskaya, the chief freelance specialist in obstetrics and gynecology at the Russian Ministry of Health for the Far Eastern Federal District, supported her colleague and asked to treat medics more carefully: «Let»s protect doctors. No doctor goes to work with the thought of harming a patient. As in any specialty, there are drawbacks, but for doctors it«s a high-risk zone. With the pressure that medical workers experience, we will destroy the medical profession. Now they are trying to raise the prestige of the doctor, cultivate a responsible attitude towards them. Sometimes there is patient extremism—sometimes they solve their financial issues at the expense of medical organizations.»
At the end of 2024, the State Duma adopted amendments to the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, freeing medical workers from liability for providing unsafe services. According to Transbaikalian doctors, this will help avoid unfounded punishment, especially in risky specialties.
