Russian President Vladimir Putin is delivering opening remarks at the beginning of a meeting with regional heads held via a videolink. The meeting will concern the response to measures to battle COVID-19.
Russian medical staff will receive an additional 10 billion rubles in funding amid the coronavirus pandemic in Russia, President Putin said on Wednesday in his address to regional heads broadcast by state television.
“We decided on the additional payments to doctors, nurses, and medical personnel due to the special working conditions and increased workload. Funds from the federal budget for these purposes – more than 10 billion rubles – have been allocated and will go to the regions soon”, Putin said.
The president also said that extra payments ranging from 20,000 to 80,000 rubles should be paid to medical staff treating coronavirus-infected patients for three months starting from April.
He also asked the regions to boost medical capacities amid the coronavirus pandemic and stressed the need to fight for “every person in every region”.
“I will start with the urgent task for all regions — the increased preparedness of medical institutions, significant increase in their resources and capabilities”, Putin stated.
The federal funding for this has already been sent to the regions, the president said.
“Let us hope that the reserves, additional capacities that we are creating will not be completely needed. But right now, we need to be ready to fight for the life of every person in every region”, Putin concluded.
He has ordered the cabinet to prepare additional measures to prop up the economy under the current circumstances within five days.
Putin underlined that the economy, as well as the work of the nation’s most crucial companies, cannot stop even during the coronavirus pandemic.
Addressing the governors, the Russian head of state also requested the automatic extension of all documents, including passports due to the current situation.
Russia has registered 8,672 coronavirus cases, with 1,175 recorded over the past 24 hours. Some 63 people have died from the virus in total, 580 have recovered, according to data from the COVID-19 response centre./sputniknews/
