The Solution To Russia’s Health Problems? More Sports! Yup, That’s the Ticket!
Compare and contrast these two stories:
Russian doctors troubled by growing TB infection rate.
Doctors are concerned about the rising number of Russians infected with tuberculosis (TB). This number has more than doubled over the past 15 years, a senior healthcare official said on Thursday.
“Russia ranks 13th on the list of countries with the highest tuberculosis infection rate. There are over 240,000 patients with active forms of TB, four percent of them are children,” Valentina Aksyonova, Russia’s top TB doctor with the Health Ministry, told reporters in Vladivostok. “Tuberculosis is to blame for 12.2 percent of deaths from infections in Russia,” she added.
Add this to stories about HIV infection rates and alcohol- and drug-related death and illness. Then consider this:
Putin: Use sport to stem population decline:
Sport is a crucial weapon for Russia to fight its demographic crisis by keeping people healthy, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday.
Russia’s population has fallen by more than five million since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 as a result of lower births rates and life expectancy, although recent government estimates show a small rise since the 2010 census.
“We’re carrying out large-scale targeted interventions in the field of demographics, but without instilling a taste for sport, all of our efforts will have little effect on progress,” he said.
Yes, more sports will no doubt get rid of that pesky TB problem, HIV infection, cirrhosis, etc.
I think he is losing his mind.
Of all the various things, sports or athletics are not part of the arsenal of the Russian people. To the opposite, things which are quite contrary of the lifestyle of a sportsmen or an athlete are 😉
Comment by MJ — January 27, 2013 @ 4:32 am
Sport is a crucial weapon for Russia to fight its demographic crisis by keeping people healthy, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday.
Hang on!! Didn’t our very own Sublime Oblivion (or whatever he calls himself these days) say that Russia’s demographic problem has already been solved, there is no crisis, and he predicted it all?
Obviously Putin didn’t get the message!
Comment by Tim Newman — January 27, 2013 @ 6:35 am
@Tim,
You are a snide, sniveling idiot. Here is what Putin actually said:
Путин: Демографические программы работают, численность населения начала расти. Впервые за всю новейшую историю страны мы фиксируем численный прирост населения страны. Продолжительность жизни превысила 70 лет, однако уровень смертности еще высок.
Важная часть послания – сбережение нации, это – снова Солженицын.
Речь подробно идет о спорте и здоровье, спортивных школах и молодежи.
Путин: Начиная с 2013 года, начнем дополнительные выплаты за третьего и последующего детей в регионах со сложной демографической ситуацией. Нормой для России должна стать семья с тремя детьми.
Демографии пока уделено огромное количество времени. Если послание будет длиться около часа, то демография – это уже минут пятнадцать.
SWP makes himself out to be some kind of Russia expert, even though he doesn’t know the language in question (which mutual acquaintance of ours does that remind you of?… LOL), and as such his Russian commentary consists of trolling various English language news sites highlighting snippets that paint Russia in its worst possible light to advance his own utterly unoriginal and banal political agenda.
Comment by S/O — January 30, 2013 @ 3:28 pm
@Sublimey. When did I ever hold myself out as an expert on Russia? I write about it because I am interested in it. I do bring some expertise in economics and finance to the subject, but I have never claimed expertise.
Quite a few people do read, which know infuriates you, and quite likely makes you quite envious; the tone of your comment (and many before it, as well as some writing on your blogs) surely suggests jealousy. I understand.
And re your reply to @Tim-you’ve set yourself up for his swipe at you.
I will say this. FWIW, I have heard from quite a few Russians-who, unlike you, actually live in Russia-that I understand its economics and politics very well. I have heard similar things from people from the non-Russian FSU, Europeans and Americans who have spent a lot more time in the country than you have, and who speak the language. Both of the commenters above you, MJ and Tim, are cases in point.
Of course, there are many others who say that I’m full of it. Whatever. That’s life. But I don’t claim expertise. That’s just a form of appeal to authority anyways. I say what I have to say. If you want to critique the content, facts, or analysis, have at it.
And in the meantime, the best way to overcome jealousy is to achieve something on your own.