Russian red tape hampers ambulance cooperation
Health authorities in both Norway and Russia want ambulances to avoid comprehensive border control during missions to the neighboring country, but Russian bureaucracy hampers the plans.
If a major accident was to occur in the border area, it would be most suitable if ambulances from both countries could take part in the rescue. Today crossing the border can take hours, something that is very inappropriate both in case of emergencies and patient transport.
- The ambulances have a variety of different equipment. According to the rules, the Russians have to map the year of production and value of all the equipment at every border-passing. This is of course completely inconvenient in a situation where you for example are to pick up a patient, says Arnt Uchermann, project Leader in Finnmark County Regional Health Authorities to NRK.
Health authorities on both sides of the border are now waiting for different Russian public bodies to approve the plans for cooperation.
The possibilities for practical health cooperation in the border area between Norway and Russia are expected to increase considerably when the agreement on visa-free travel for border zone inhabitants comes into force in 2012. The hospital in Kirkenes treats many Russian patients every year and will become even more important when 45.000 Russians get the right to travel to the town without visa.
Construction of a new €75 million hospital outside Kirkenes is planned to start in 2014, as BarentsObserver reported.
