MOSCOW, January 11. /TASS/. Siemens Heathineers is ready to provide its technologies and expertise for implementation of a project on creation of centralized clinical and diagnostic laboratories in Russian regions, company’s representative Inna Domoratskaya told TASS on Thursday.

It was reported earlier that Russia’s Rostec and Siemens agreed to implement this project in three pilot regions with an option of increasing them up to ten. Ruselectronics, an affiliate of Rostec, and Siemens Healthineers signed a partnership and cooperation agreement in December 2017. The agreement provides in particular for joint establishment of centralized laboratory and diagnostic centers.

"Siemens Healthineers is ready to offer its technologies and expertise for implementation of this project," Domoratskaya said. The parties are interested in joint development of concepts and solutions for development and management of medical centers, she added.

Laboratories will be set up in capitals of Russian constituencies. Centers will provide services on centralized processing of patient biomaterials based on Siemens diagnostic equipment. "The government does not benefit from maintaining many small laboratories, where quality of tests cannot be controlled. The project will help to centralize these functions, save budget funds and improve quality of services," a source in the Russian healthcare system told TASS.

Rostec confirms these plans and notes that its radio electronic cluster companies will be involved in project implementation. An opportunity of localizing manufacturing of Siemens laboratory equipment and consumables in Russia is considered over the long term. Rostec did not disclose details of the agreement and said that it is early to discuss them for the time being.

Investments at the initial phase will be about 4 bln rubles ($70.5 mln). The agreement also provides for advance training of medical specialists.