By Yevgenia Liventseva
A 21 year old Ukrainian, suffering from liver cirrhosis, was the first to address Belarusian transplantology doctors for help. This medical branch is slowly developing in the neighbouring state, due to its legislation on the ‘presumption of discord’.
Oleg Rummo, the Director of the Organ and Tissue National Transplantation Centre, notes that CIS citizens most often address Belarusian specialists for organ transplantation, although those from the EU also come. “Foreign patients cover the full cost of their treatment, which is cheaper than that offered in similar centres in leading European countries,” he says, adding, “For example, a liver transplantation costs $30,000-35,000, that of a heart — $30,000-50,000, a kidney — $6,000-13,000, and marrow — $17,000-70,000.”
Foreign patients are choosing Belarusian medical services not only for their moderate prices, stresses Alexander Mrochek, the Cardiology Centre’s Director. They are attracted by the professionalism of our specialists. Those from Ukraine and Russia join patients from Western Europe in addressing Belarusian cardio-surgeons.
“We plan to increase exports of our medical services five-fold between 2011 and 2015,” asserts Belarus’ First Deputy Health Minister, Valery Khodzhaev. “Moreover, high-tech assistance to foreigners will be rendered countrywide — not only by the republican centres and Minsk clinics.”
