HEALTH CARE IN RUSSIA AND IN REGIONS OF THE NORTH CAUCASUS FEDERAL DISTRICT: MODERN CHALLENGES, PROBLEMS OF DEVELOPMENT AND DIRECTIONS OF REFORMING
The article analyzes the state of the health sector in the Russian Federation in the regions of the North Caucasus Federal District, reveals the level and reasons of inequality in the capacity of medicine in federal districts and regions, identifies the main directions for the development and reforming the healthcare system in the country and the subjects of the North Caucasus Federal District. The complex comparative analysis of the state and dynamics of the development of the healthcare in Russia and the regions of the North Caucasus Federal District made it possible to reveal the current challenges, causes and areas of backwardness, and to justify the need to overcome health inequalities in the subjects of the North Caucasus. It has been stated that in recent years there has been observed a positive trend in the development of healthcare in Russia and in the regions of the North Caucasus Federal District. However, the District with its constituent entities are far behind the average indicators of Russia and other federal districts and entities in terms of the level and rates of development of health care. The slowdown is observed at the level of development of the material and technical base, personnel and resource support, per capita financing and salaries of medical personnel. The overall gap in health care is reflected in the health indicators of the population. In the regions of the North Caucasus, the growth rate of the life expectancy is much lower, and the morbidity and mortality rates of the population, including infant mortality, are higher than the national average. There has been suggested measures of gradual reforming health care system to overcome the gap, which corresponds to the general provisions of the RF Presidential Order No. 598 of May 7, 2012 “On improving state policy in health care”