Republican centre of medical preventive maintenance, therapeutic physical training and sports medicine
	Head physician: Marina P. Markelova Personnel: 48 persons Address: Kirov str. 3, Petrozavodsk, 185035 Waiting room telephone: +7(814-2) 76-75-01 Telephone: +7(814-2) 76-81-40 E-mail: minzdrav@karelia.ru

• General information
• Structure of the centre

General information

Republican centre of medical preventive maintenance, therapeutic physical training and sports medicine was organized in December of 2001 by reorganization of the medical sports clinic.

Financing of the institution is fulfilled on the account of budget means and business activity income.

In 2001 the centre developed the Healthy way of life program approved in February of 2002 by the Government of the Republic of Karelia and authorized by the Legislative Assembly of the Republic of Karelia in December of 2002.

Experts of the centre accomplish important improving and preventive work, first of all in infant and children's educational institutions:

• Within 2002 doctors and methodologists of physiotherapy exercises held training seminars and classes on improvement through physical training.
• The doctor of the center, specialist in gastroenterology and dietetics holds training of infants and children of preschool and school age to teach them follow healthy diet:
  • Development of the program of educating infants and children in the sphere of healthy food habits is fulfilled in three infant schools of Petrozavodsk.
  • Training for teachers, parents, workers of dining rooms, and students on problems of eutrophy is carried out in schools of Petrozavodsk.
  • Training of medical staff of treatment-and-prophylactic institutioins is organized.
  • For the population of the Republic of Karelia thematic articles in local press, and TV and radio broadcasting is organised.
• Psychotherapist of advisory improving branch is engaged in preventive maintenance and treatment of tobacco dependence. He has developed the program of preventive maintenance of smoking for infants and children.
• In the school N38 of Petrozavodsk experts of the centre together with the city department of education fulfil the model of the improving centre on the basis of educational institution.

Many preventive actions were realized within the framework of measures undertaken by thr centre (preventive maintenance of smoking, use of alcohol, drugs etc.).

Together with the Chair of Bases of medical knowledge and health protection of children of Karelian State Pedagogical University research on prevalence of harmful habits in the youth environment, round-table discussions on problems of smoking, narcotisms, and hypokinesia will be accomplished.

Experts of branch of medical control of those engaged in physical culture and sports together with the State Committee on Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism are monitor problems of physical training perfection for adult and children's population. The concept of development of medical sports service of Karelia under development.

We consider the following aspects as difficulties for increasing efficiency of propagation of the Healthy way of life:

• Imperfection of normative legal base.
• Weak material base.
• Specialists working in this sphere lack motivation to implement preventive measures.

Centers of medical preventive maintenance manned with experts, possessing multiplying equipment, videoequipment, methodical manuals, having sufficient fund of videomaterials, can and should become head structures strengthening health and forming healthy way of life among population of Karelia.

Structure of the centre

• Health improving department
• Sports medicine department
• Organizational and methodical department
• Functional diagnostics department
• Clinic and diagnostic laboratory
• Publishing department