SALEKHARD, December 9. /TASS/. The Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region announced year 2026 the Year of Health, and the region sees high-quality and fast medical diagnostics a key priority, Governor Dmitry Artyukhov said during an annual Q&A session.
"In the Year of Health, we will pay great attention to sports, support for mass events and education. But the main work will be in medicine. <...> We have identified key tasks in medicine, where the main one is high-quality and fast diagnostics," he said in response to a question from TASS.
Cutting diagnostics' time to three days from the patient's address is a key ambitious goal, the governor said, adding examinations would be offered at one location.
In 2026, special attention will be paid to additional education of doctors and medical staff. "We have agreed with Moscow's training centers that in 2026 many more our doctors will go to study and take exams, which is important because there will be control testing so that we also could understand that they not just listened, but did learn, and, thus would implement (the skills)," the governor said.
Yamal infrastructures' upgrade
The region continues to build and upgrade about 30 healthcare facilities, including polyclinics and hospitals. In 2026, Yamal will work on a big program to upgrade medical infrastructures. A children's medical center will appear in Tarko-Sale. It will combine hospitals and a polyclinic. For the first time, a Speech Pathology Center will be organized there, and the local hospital will open a psychiatric department. For example, a district hospital will open in the village of Gorki, the first-ever hospital will start working in Korotchaevo.
The region will have for the first time a sign language service, and specialized doctors will work in Salekhard, Novy Urengoy, Noyabrsk, Nadym and Gubkinsky. The first endocrinology center in Salekhard will serve patients from nearby locations. For radiography reference centers the region will buy 500 tablets. The region will have a 24-hour EEG monitoring rooms and will buy modern equipment: three backup CT scanners and 24 units of diagnostic equipment, including ultrasound machines, endoscopes and Holter monitors. Additionally, in 2026, psychologists' offices in the region will be decorated in the same style.
"Probably no other topic worries all of us like this one. Our health, the health of our loved ones. I have no doubts we will spend it (the Year of Health - TASS) intensively, interestingly and, most importantly, usefully," the governor added, stressing the region was expecting proposals and ideas concerning medicine from local residents.