The question of the day is from a doctor: who, when and where should treat Russian homeless people?

There is no doubt that if any citizen of Russia, regardless of his social status, is left without medical assistance, this means that the state is not fulfilling its primary responsibilities. As well as if, in a specific case, a specific official unsubscribes that in order to receive planned treatment, a homeless person must first restore documents, this means that the official simply does not cope with his duties to provide the entire population with medical care.

Just such a case was described on her blog by a Moscow doctor and public figure Olga Demicheva, who told about a man who has neither a home nor documents, got into a difficult situation:

“He barely made it to the charity orphanage on swollen legs. The swelling is such that the skin breaks. It was thought that due to the fact that he slept for a long time while sitting, the typical misfortune of the homeless is chronic venous insufficiency. They took me to a vascular surgeon.

Paid, of course.

We scraped together 4000 rubles for a consultation.

As a result, it turned out - the heart is sick. Chronic heart failure.

What's next? Stalemate situation. A homeless person does not have a passport and compulsory medical insurance policy. This means that all examination and treatment for him is paid. But he has no money either. This means that if the disease is serious, then for him it is a sentence. Mortal.

The one I'm talking about is not a marginal, not a sociopath, not even an alcoholic. In the past, he was a very successful person, he worked as a cook. But life decided in its own way, was left homeless and without documents. It happens.

Now, of course, we, the people of the charitable community, will do our best by joining forces.

We will help, as much as we can on charity accounts. Let's add some money on our own, what is really there.

We will save this one, with medical and God's help.

But there are hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of such homeless and sick people throughout Russia. And most of them are left without help. And they die. Although they could live, they could return to normal human existence.

We need, we need hospitals for people without documents! Free, municipal, multidisciplinary.

This is necessary not only from elementary humane principles, but also from considerations of social security.

Homeless people (like any other) can have dangerous chronic infections: tuberculosis, HIV, hepatitis, commonplace head lice and scabies, and many other contagious diseases. All this is treated. But who and where will treat the homeless?

I affirm: a hospital for people without documents is needed not only by the homeless, but also by all of us.

By the way, in most countries of the world there are such hospitals. They are supported by the state or private benefactors. There were also plenty of such hospitals in Russia before. An example is the hospice of Count Sheremetyev (now Sklif).

Chronic heart failure. This is a serious illness. If left untreated, it is fatal.

In an amicable way, these same municipal hospitals with an outpatient department and inpatient department should be available everywhere.

As for the provision of drugs, there are two troubles. We do not have drug insurance even for socially prosperous citizens. If there is money, they are treated. If not ... no. I will not say anything about compliance at all.

This is the first thing.

Second, as for the homeless, charitable organizations help them with the purchase of medicines. But you only knew how few competent appointments... Solid mexidols with piracetam..."

In the meantime, only HIV and tuberculosis are treated free of charge. In addition, there is a polyclinic for the homeless in Moscow near the Kursk railway station. But that's all ... The question is, will the current Russian state start to maintain such clinics? The answer is beyond doubt: no. And this is in prosperous Moscow, but what is going on in the Russian provinces?

Meanwhile, even in Soviet times at the hospital. Korolenko, there was a branch where people were brought without documents and a place of residence. And although there, of course, given the infectious specifics, the conditions of stay were harsh, but they provided help and treatment. Moreover, employees received additional bonuses in the form of payment and extended vacation...