It's time to declare a state of emergency

The state understands how to fight crime and terrorism, but it has absolutely given in to disease. While citizens have a runny nose, they have their own portion of drops or tablets. But if something more serious happened - how to find money for medicines, painkillers, operations? Medicine has become a legal way to kill those who do not have enough money to pay for treatment.

“Ira completed a course of anti-relapse chemotherapy, remission was achieved, the so-called conditioning before transplantation will soon begin, in Irina’s case it also includes total body irradiation. Such irradiation can only be carried out in Minsk, its cost will be 10,000 euros. A suitable donor for Ira was found in Taiwan; activation of the donor will cost 17,000 euros.”

“Misha was admitted to the Russian Children's Clinical Hospital in early March with a diagnosis of abdominal lymphoma. He has undergone two blocks of chemotherapy, with 6 more to go. Misha has severe infectious sepsis - despite treatment with antibiotics and antifungal drugs, a focus of fungal infection remains in the lungs. A course of treatment with Vfend is required, a total of 12 packs are needed. 200 mg each for the amount of 300,000 rubles.”

“Azat has a brain tumor, he has been undergoing treatment for four years. There were surgeries and radiation. All standard protocols have been tried and have not helped. Azat has one last chance - this is combination therapy with strong and expensive drugs: Avastin, Gleevec and Endoxan. 1 month of treatment will cost Azat 277,100 rubles, and he needs to be treated for at least six months, a total of 1,662,600 rubles.”

The parents of such children have most often already sold everything they can to find the necessary funds. They look to the Constitution, which states the right to life. They probably have voluntary health insurance, which seems to allow them to receive treatment. But not a single regional or federal budget contains funds so that once and for all all these families forget what the struggle for life is.

And I want to ask, why?

If the state has experience in how to fight terrorism, if there are plans to combat epidemics, then there must be plans to help children and adults facing serious illnesses. If necessary, we must introduce a social emergency, but make sure that every family facing such grief does not have to face it alone.

In Russia they still don’t know what to do with those who are incurable. These are discharged home. And patients or their families are trying to look for painkillers all over the world. So that their loved one lives at least the last days of his life without screaming and tears. There is no talk of hospices in every region of Russia. There is no such hospice for children at all. And there is a waiting list at the hospice for adults. Think about it, it’s time to die with dignity.

Yes, illnesses always accompany people. And there will always be diseases that are difficult to fight. But it seems completely unacceptable that the state has completely withdrawn from the problems of seriously or terminally ill citizens. You will find all the announcements of help on the pages of the funds, but you are unlikely to find them on the official website of the regional or federal health authority. According to some strange tradition, volunteer and charitable organizations seem to be outside the jurisdiction of medical officials. But medicine itself is a product of volunteering. The first hospitals, nurses - they were all volunteers.

What can be done? What emergency measures should be taken?

1. Immediately, with the help of volunteer organizations and charitable foundations, create a register of citizens in need of help.

2. Find funds to pay for everyone’s treatment. And where it is difficult to find funds, with the support of the state, organize the collection of the necessary assistance.

3. Immediately create a program to build hospices throughout the country. For both children and adults.

4. Remove all obstacles to the work of volunteer organizations and charitable foundations. Make sure that with the help of any ATM, any money-accepting machine, any mobile phone, citizens can help those in need.

5. Find ways to produce equipment, medicines, and reduce the cost of operations in Russia.

The main thing to understand is that the situation in the social sphere is war. War for life, war to death. Every day counts here. But this war cannot be won if the state deserts all the time. You cannot win this war if you do not find your Suvorovs, your Nakhimovs.

We rarely demand government help for everyone. It’s as if we ourselves have given in to this problem. But there was a time in Russia when there were no hospitals, no schools, no universities. And someone began to build them, someone began to teach, treat, help. Are we really going to give in to this task?

Ira, Azat, Misha are waiting for an answer to this question from us.