A new federal cardiovascular surgery center will be started in Chelyabinsk in 2007; Head of Russian Federation Government Mikhail Fradkov has already signed a decree to this extent, acting Governor of Chelyabinsk Region Andrei Kosilov reports. Mr. Kosilov also says the new clinic is going to become Ural Federal District’s second high-tech medical center (there is one operating in Tyumen at the moment), with the number of such surgery hubs around the country expected to reach 15 units altogether. Chelyabinsk was chosen because of the outstanding preparation and lobbying by the region’s authorities, who kept promoting the idea up to the Cabinet and the Russian Federation President.

A successful applicant (i.e. the region) had to have the greatest need for cardiovascular surgery within the area and be prepared to assume the financial burden of putting up a large expensive facility within its borders.

The project is estimated to cost more than 2 billion RUR; Chelyabinsk Region has come up with 1 million RUR for the preliminary construction jobs such as preparing the land allotment and the supporting infrastructure this year. Besides, some of the money will be used to buy ultrasound research and angiographic equipment and a tomographic scanner. The federal authorities are supposed to contribute 2.4 billion RUR to the project.

The construction of the clinic will begin in North-Western district of Chelyabinsk this year; the area of the building and the surroundings will come to more than four hectares, with the net area amounting to 9,500 square meters. The center will only employ the followers of the internationally famous Chelyabinsk cardiovascular surgery school, with the total number of staff coming to 1,000 people.