Ministry of Health of Smolensk Region

2023

Appointment by Minister Victoria Makarova

In October 2023, the Governor of the Smolensk Region Vasily Anokhin signed a decree appointing Victoria Makarova as the new head of the Ministry of Health of the region. Previously, this position was held by Olga Stunzhas. She became Makarova's first deputy in the department. Read more here.

Ex-deputy head of the Smolensk Department of Health received 7 years in a strict regime colony for bribes and negligence

The Industrial District Court of Smolensk issued a guilty verdict against the former deputy head of the regional health department Nikolai Ilyin. He was found guilty of committing crimes under Part 1 of Art. 293 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (negligence), paragraph "b" of Part 4 of Art. 291 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (giving a bribe to an official personally for committing knowingly illegal actions on a large scale). The press service of the prosecutor's office of the Smolensk region announced this on February 6, 2023. Read more here.

2022

Initiation of a criminal case on negligence in the supply of medical equipment

On December 7, 2022, the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee for the Smolensk Region announced the initiation of a criminal case in the region against employees of the regional Department health care under Part 1.1 of Art. 293 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (negligence, resulting in especially large damage).

According to the investigation, in July 2021, as part of the implementation of the regional project "Modernization of primary health care," a state contract was signed between the Department of Health Care of the Smolensk Region and the joint-stock company for the supply of a general-purpose X-ray diagnostic mobile system (mobile digital X-ray apparatus) in the amount of 6 pieces for the needs of medical institutions of the Smolensk region (OGBUZ Safonovskaya CRH, OGBUZ Ozernenskaya RB No. 1, OGBUZ Vyazemskaya CRH, OGBUZ Yelninskaya MB, OGBUZ Khislavichskaya CRH, OGBUZ Shumyachskaya CRH) for a total amount of over 43 million rubles.

A criminal case of negligence in the supply of medical equipment was opened against employees of the Smolensk Department of Health

In the period from July to November 2021, officials of the specified department, having not made sure that the delivered goods comply with the terms of the state contract, the compliance of the delivered medical devices with safety requirements, signed the relevant acts of acceptance and transfer and the act of fulfillment of obligations under the state contract. As a result, funds in the amount of over 43 million rubles were transferred to the supplier, thereby causing damage to the budget of the Smolensk region on an especially large scale.

In addition, the investigators found that since the payment, the supplied medical devices are not used for their intended purpose, which also entails a violation of the rights of an indefinite circle of people from among the residents of Safonovsky, Dukhovschinsky, Vyazemsky, Yelninsky, Khislavichsky, Shumyachsky districts of the Smolensk region, which resulted in the impossibility of receiving medical care using these medical devices.^[1]

The deputy head's accusation of overstating the price of the contract for the supply of medical acid concentrators

At the end of October 2022, it became known about the initiation of a criminal case against the deputy head of the regional Department of Health. I suspect him of abuse of power (part 1 of article 286 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

According to the press service of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Smolensk Region, the investigation found that in December 2021, an official with a single supplier signed a state contract for the supply of two oxygen concentrators worth 32.1 million rubles each. At the same time, the deputy head of the department knew that a commercial proposal had been received from one of the joint-stock companies to supply similar goods at a lower cost. The excess of his powers by an official entailed a significant violation of the interests of the state protected by law, expressed in overstating the contract price in the amount of 7.8 million rubles and resulting in material damage to the budget on an especially large scale.

Deputy Head of the Department of Health of the Smolensk Region accused of overstating the contract price

The name of the defendant in the criminal case was not disclosed. Officers of the Investigative Committee and the police conducted searches at the place of work and residence of the suspect. By the end of October 2022, investigators continue to carry out a set of measures aimed at clarifying all the circumstances of the incident, collecting and consolidating the evidence base, the press service of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Smolensk Region added.

It is not the first time that employees of the Smolensk Region Health Department have come to the attention of the investigating authorities. In early June 2020, the regional department of the UK opened a criminal case of negligence, believing that the employees of the Department of Health concluded a state contract in the amount of more than 64 million rubles for the supply of medical complexes. According to investigators, the registration certificates of medical equipment did not correspond to its actual configuration.^[2]

Ex-deputy head of the Department of Health of the Smolensk region accused of bribing the FSB

On February 8, 2022, it became known that the former deputy head of the Health Department of the Smolensk Region was charged with giving a bribe on a large scale and negligence as part of a criminal investigation into interruptions in the supply of preferential medicines. Read more here.

2020

A criminal case was opened against the employees of the Smolensk Department of Health after the procurement of 17 medical complexes for 95 million rubles

In mid-June 2020, the Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Smolensk Region announced the initiation of another criminal case against employees of the regional Health Department. They are suspected of "unfair and negligent attitude towards the service" when concluding a contract for the supply of 17 mobile medical complexes in the amount of over 95 million rubles. Read more here.

A case was opened against the employees of the Smolensk Department of Health after the supply of mammography complexes for 64.5 million rubles

On June 9, 2020, it became known about the initiation of a criminal case against employees of the Smolensk Region Health Department. They are accused of negligence in the execution of public procurement. Read more here.