Patients Protest Closure of Moscow Clinic Serving Over 20,000
Residents of Mozhaysky District protest against clinic closure
Residents of Mozhaysky District have rebelled against the closure of the local clinic. According to locals, the institution was closed quietly to avoid a scandal. But citizens, uniting, are demanding explanations from the clinic«s management and district authorities. Whether they will be able to defend their clinic was investigated by the MSK1.RU editorial team.
Dozens of local residents came to the meeting with deputies
Residents« Version — Clinic Was »Driven« to Closure
One of the rooms in the old clinic
As of 29 December 2025, the branch of the district clinic on Marshal Nedelin Street ceased operations. Previously, it served about 21,000 people. People were presented with a fait accompli after doctors and patients were «spread out» to other branches located further from their homes.
People shout: «Give us back our clinic!»
According to citizens, authorities previously promised that the clinic would operate until a new one opened in the same block, but in fact, the doors were closed, and residents see the new clinic only in plans so far.
«People were not warned: it was closed on 29 December, on 26 December it became known from the clinic»s official website, some patients received SMS about automatic transfer to two other branches of Clinical and Diagnostic Center No. 4 (CDC No. 4) in Mozhaysky District, which require bus rides to reach, and from some streets — only with transfers. Within families, people ended up scattered across different branches. The majority were not notified at all,« shared local resident Nikita Kozlov with the MSK1.RU editorial team.
Doctors showed the clinic where patients were «relocated»
The reasons were the «unsatisfactory condition of the building» built in 1964 and the upcoming renovation of the residential building where the branch was located. A warning about this was issued by Rospotrebnadzor (Russia«s consumer protection and sanitary oversight agency) at the end of the year. The agency identified numerous violations of sanitary standards and demanded major intervention. The building will be vacated in 2029–2032. This was stated on social media by the head of the municipal district, Sergey Chamovskikh.
A pensioner told how she gets to the new clinic
«This is not up to Moscow city standards, and I share the opinion of our residents. There were complaints about the condition of the premises, stuffiness, and crowding in narrow corridors. On 25 December 2025, Rospotrebnadzor for the city of Moscow conducted an inspection, identifying multiple violations of sanitary standards. RPN (Rospotrebnadzor) ruled to bring the premises and communications into compliance with sanitary requirements: replace floor slabs, install a new ventilation system, and re-plan the premises,» explained the head.
The management of Clinical and Diagnostic Center No. 4 explained that repairs in the building are impossible due to sanitary requirements.
«The ultrasound room — 5.5 m², the blood drawing room — 6.7 m², the cardiologist»s room — 6.8 m². All these rooms, according to current regulations, must have an area of at least 12 m². We cannot expand them no matter how much we want. Such small rooms by modern standards can only be used as auxiliary premises,« indicated the reasons for closure.
Residents, however, are sure that the matter is different. In their opinion, the clinic was deliberately not maintained for many years in order to later close it under the pretext of being dilapidated and free up the premises. Moreover, after the appointment of a new chief physician, staff began to rapidly leave the institution. Meanwhile, with the closure, only two adult clinics remain in the district.
«Officially, they claim it was closed supposedly at the demand of Rospotrebnadzor: they reported that the inspection was on 25 December, and on 26 December they already announced the closure. The decision was prepared in advance with the aim of optimizing expenses and debts of Clinical and Diagnostic Center No. 4,» indicated the editorial«s interlocutor Nikita. »The clinic served about 21–22 thousand people, most were satisfied, there were doctors, there was an X-ray. The majority of residents were pleased, there were many positive reviews.«
«Give Us Back Our Clinic»
On 20 January, public hearings on the report of the chief physician of Clinical and Diagnostic Center No. 4, Olga Kechina, who oversaw the work of the closed branch, were held in the council of deputies of the Mozhaysky municipal district. Dozens of residents came to the hall, who consider Kechina responsible for the clinic ceasing to exist. While deputies tried to explain the decision with the Rospotrebnadzor order, locals asked a logical counter-question: «Why did you allow this? Why didn»t you repair it?«
«We don»t want to understand anything, we want our clinic. Give it back!« shouted the gathering.
People expected to hear specific actions and timelines for solving the problem, but heard mainly references to inspections and standards.
What Is Offered in Return
Officially, patients are recommended to turn to other branches of Clinical and Diagnostic Center No. 4: at Mozhayskoye Shosse, 14, building 4 and on Belovezhskaya Street, 45. Officials emphasize that direct bus routes go to them and assure that the closure will not create a «shortage of medical care.»
«It is important that after the redistribution of patients, all attending physicians and therapeutic areas will remain the same, but the conditions in which appointments will be conducted will significantly improve. And this is not only repair work, but modern equipment that was not previously in branch No. 3, and a list of specialists, and a prevention department, and comfortable waiting areas with buffets,» assures the clinic«s management.
But for residents, especially the elderly and those with limited mobility, the journey to these clinics means additional time, money, and effort. People demand not only transparent explanations but also a clear plan: when and where exactly in the district a new full-fledged clinic will appear that will return to them the familiar and truly accessible medical care.
«We demand that this clinic continue to operate for several more years — exactly until a new clinic is opened in the same block. It is planned by a decree of the Moscow government from 2020. Residents intend to continue seeking justice, want to see the Rospotrebnadzor act (whether it said »close the clinic«) and demand a repeat inspection with a commission including residents,» declared Nikita Kozlov to the MSK1.RU editorial team.
For now, residents insist on their own: they are collecting signatures and continue to complain to various authorities. But whether this will lead to the desired result remains a mystery.
Earlier we reported how a labor veteran, a disabled person of group I, was denied medication. The pensioner could not normally live without his usual drugs.
