OREANDA-NEWS. February 18, 2011. Meeting of Valentina Ulich, Minister of Health and Social Development of the RK, with Vesa Korpelainen, Executive Director of the National Health Center of North Carelia, and Tiina Vlasoff, coordinator of frontier cooperation, took place in the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Republic of Karelia. The parties have discussed issues of current cooperation and prospects of cooperation for 2011-2015.

For more than 20 years cooperation with Finnish partners was supported within the scope of projects Promotion of health and prevention of basic noninfectious diseases among the population of Pitkaranta region (in 1991-2010) and From Knowledge – to Action (2008-2010) focused on propagation of healthy way of life.

Together with the National Health Center of North Carelia there has been developed a new project of Telemedicine Develpment in the Republic of Karelia. According to Valentina Ulich, it may be a practical support at implementation of the program of modernization of public health services of the republic, one of which trends is informatization of the branch.

In 2010 Finnish colleagues have got acquainted with activity of Health Centers of Petrozavodsk and have arrived at a conclusion that compound ideas of Karelia and Finland may form a basis for development of new joint projects.

The Ministry of Health and Social Development, the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and the National Health Center of North Carelia have signed a Protocol of intent to cooperate in 2011-2015 whithin which framework it is expected to conduct research, education and take practical measures intended to improve public health.

During the meeting the parties have pointed out positive results of cooperation bvetween the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Republic of Karelia and the National Health Center of North Carelia and have offered to continue cooperation.