Rural paramedic accused of working private clinic during hours
Another healthcare scandal has erupted in Volgograd Oblast. Residents of the khutor Tary in Ilovlinsky District discovered that a local paramedic participating in the «Zemsky Doktor» program works at the private «Zdorovie+» clinic during the hours he is supposed to be seeing patients at the rural feldsher-midwife station.
One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said: «A year ago, a »Zemsky« paramedic was hired for our FAP. They built us a new FAP using the latest technology so we wouldn»t have to travel to Ilovlya. We were very happy because the paramedic who arrived was knowledgeable. All the residents were delighted, but the happiness didn«t last long. For six months we knew that from Monday to Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., we could find the paramedic at the FAP. However, in the last six months, getting an appointment with him has become a near-impossible task. We go once—the FAP is closed, we go twice—closed. In the chat, the paramedic writes he will be there on Friday. So it turns out the FAP is closed all week, the paramedic is working who knows where, all while receiving his salary and program payments.»
The woman added: «I needed to get some tests done. At the Ilovlinsky Central District Hospital, they told me the quota for these tests had run out and sent me to »Zdorovie+«. Imagine my surprise when our paramedic from Tary was drawing blood at the private clinic. We went to the polyclinic with this issue, but no one there would even talk to us; they said all questions should go to the chief physician. Neither Mikhailenko nor Nuryeva were at their workplaces at that moment—they were either on sick leave or on vacation, and the chief physician is completely unreachable. This paramedic is a »Zemsky doktor.« He got this position and the corresponding program benefits and payments precisely to provide medical care in our rural settlement, not to work at a private clinic to the detriment of his direct duties. And this is happening, it seems, with the silent approval of the management. After all, the owners of the »Zdorovie+« clinic are none other than the deputy chief physicians of our very own Ilovlinsky Central District Hospital!»
The locals see clear violations: «A state paramedic is absent from his post during working hours and works for a private entity. He»s not even officially employed there. This is a direct failure to fulfill the duties he assumed under the «Zemsky Doktor» program and creates a conflict of interest for the hospital leadership. The situation looks as if the inspection and control system is completely detached from reality. On paper, everything is clean. In reality, our FAP doesn«t open in the morning, and the medical professional we trust with our health is at that time serving patients at the commercial clinic owned by his bosses. Where is the justice, and where can residents turn to finally be heard?»
Paramedic Aleksandr Chasovsky refused to comment, stating he would leave the question unanswered. Meanwhile, an administrator at the «Zdorovie+» clinic said: «He works every day except Saturday and Sunday, from 08:00 to 09:45.»
The Volgograd Oblast Health Committee has instructed the chief physician of the Ilovlinsky Central District Hospital to conduct an inspection and determine the reasons for the paramedic«s unavailability during scheduled hours.
This is not the first case of problems at the Ilovlinsky Central District Hospital. In March 2025, ultrasound doctor Yulia Yermakova was forced to resign from the private «Zdorovie+» clinic. According to her: «For a month I tried to quit from there, they threatened me with legal articles and everything else, but nothing worked. I had three lawyers, they had to fulfill all obligations to me and return my work record. Nevertheless, after going to the administration and the hospital, I couldn»t find a job there, even though my family is here, my children go to school here; I was forced to work in Volgograd. I worked in Volgograd for three months, you have to live on something. After three months, I opened my own ultrasound office. I opened it, I work, and the adventures continue. Starting from obstacles during certain commission checks, to the fact that they don«t accept ultrasound protocols issued by me. They only take ones from the »Zdorovie+« clinic, saying my opinion is not expert, even though I worked at »Zdorovie+« for 7 years and now work for a Moscow firm.»
In autumn 2025, general practitioner Mayagozel Nuryeva complained about the actions of the hospital leadership, accusing them of creating unbearable working conditions and lobbying for the interests of the private clinic.
The Ilovlinsky Central District Hospital stated that no complaints had been received from residents and that the feldsher-midwife station operates on schedule. Supervisory authorities, including Roszdravnadzor (the Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare), have begun inspections, but their results are not yet known.
