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Coronavirus pandemic

Putin calls for additional measures to combat leading causes of death

The president noted that cardiovascular diseases used to be among the leading causes of death in Russia even before COVID-19

© AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko

MOSCOW, April 21. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for the implementation of additional measures to combat diseases that are among the leading causes of death in the country.

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Putin noted that cardiovascular diseases used to be among the leading causes of death in Russia even before COVID-19. "So special attention should be paid to citizens with cardiovascular diseases during preventive examinations. I mandate the government to implement additional measures to counteract diseases that are the leading causes of premature mortality," Putin said during his annual State of the Nation Address to the Federal Assembly.

The president noted that cancer and respiratory diseases are also among the leading causes of death in Russia. "Many young lives are taken by hepatitis C as well. We need to make decisions here that would allow us to minimize this danger to the nation’s health within a decade," the president stated.

Earlier, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said that over 47 mln Russian citizens underwent examinations for cancerous diseases in 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic, and 1 mln citizens were sent to medical institutions to receive further medical aid.

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