Greeting forum participants, St. Petersburg Governor Georgy Poltavchenko noted that the event is a highly-beneficial business platform – after all, caring for public health is one of the top-priority concerns of any government. “In supporting this effort, the municipal administration is highlighting the prestige of the medical profession and the importance of supplying hospitals with modern equipment. Under special control is paediatrics, which is why St. Petersburg remains the Russian leader in terms of improving the country’s demographic situation. What’s more, the city is also busy expanding its cluster of the pharmaceutical and medical industries,” said the governor.

Vologda Regional Governor Oleg Kuvshinnikov added that the task of effectively growing the national economy and developing its social infrastructure is rendered impossible without a healthy population base: “In this regard, the forum showcases the unique potential of our Russian industry. On display at the exhibition are the best domestic advancements, capable of covering the needs of the Russian market in this area.”

For his part, the Director of the “Healthy Cities” Project at the European Regional Bureau of the World Health Organisation – Agis Tsouros, emphasised that healthcare is a political choice: “At the 70th session of the UN General Assembly, we affirmed 17 steps for the sustainable development of all countries, and health is at the top of the ladder. It’s a main priority for every person, every city – and the planet as a whole. We must all make our own contribution to creating the healthy society of the 21st century.”