The Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation bans health workers from making public statements about the novel coronavirus, according to Meduza.
Russia’s Health Ministry has sent an order to doctors and medical institutions under its jurisdiction requiring them to coordinate any public comments on the coronavirus with the ministry, says a letter obtained by Meduza.
The Health Ministry’s press service confirmed the document’s authenticity. A source in the leadership of one of the major federal healthcare centers under the ministry’s jurisdiction confirmed to Meduza that he received such a letter.
“The Russian Federation’s Health Ministry informs the heads of institutions subordinate to the Health Ministry and the Health Ministry’s main external specialists that any comments and public information on the topic of the new coronavirus infection must be agreed upon with the Health Ministry’s press service in writing or verbally by e-mail or by phone,” the letter says.
In an official comment sent to Meduza from the department, it says that this was done “to increase the efficiency of informing the population about measures to counter the spread and prevention of incidence of COVID-19.”
The Health Ministry has published a list of 167 federal institutions under its jurisdiction on its website. Hospitals in Russia’s regions fall under the jurisdiction of local health authorities.
