MOSCOW, February 24 (RIA Novosti) – Russian Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova unveiled on Sunday plans to introduce a single system monitoring health of orphans and a network providing psychological support for vulnerable children in Russia.
“We are drafting a decree to create a single monitoring system of the children’s health,” Skvortsova said in an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta to be published on Monday.
The system will include personal medical records of children who live in orphanages. The move comes in an effort to ensure public control of the children’s health, the minister said.
She said information about personal health records of the adopted children could be obtained only with the consent of the foster parents. “If the parents want this, these children will remain under care of all specialists. This is their right,” she said.
As Russia tries to boost the number of domestic adoptions, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree last week that is expected to encourage Russians to adopt children.
The decree slices the number of documents Russians have to collect when applying to become foster parents and tasks state services with promoting adoption online and in the mass media.
Medvedev also suggested creating a special commission, headed by a deputy prime minister, to deal with orphanhood issues.
Russian officials have been working on new legislation to grow the number of domestic adoptions ever since Moscow banned US citizens from adopting Russian children on January 1. This step was taken in response to the so-called US Magnitsky Act, signed by the White House, which freezes the assets and visas of Russians accused of violating human rights.