Moscow, November 25, 2016
On the eve of his seventieth birthday, Patriarch Kirill asked rectors of Moscow parishes not to give him flowers but to donate this money to the Central Clinical Hospital of St. Alexis of Moscow for purchasing medical equipment for the seriously ill. In total about 2.5 million rubles were transferred by Moscow churches to the hospital’s account, which was used for purchasing medical equipment which will enable an uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen for artificial ventilating lungs during surgical operations and in resuscitation units.
“Thanks to this help we purchased special equipment for keeping and supplying medical oxygen,” head doctor of Moscow St. Alexis Hospital Alexei Zarov explained. “Oxygen is necessary not only for anesthesia during surgical operations, but also for our other patients who need respiratory support in surgical departments and the resuscitation unit,” reports Interfax.
Parish churches and dependencies of Moscow and the Moscow region responded to the request of Patriarch Kirill and transferred 2,498,000 rubles to the hospital’s account. The flow of donations is continuing. The remaining and newly-received funds will be used to purchase instruments for video-endoscopic operations, the Synodal Department for Church’s Relations with Society and Mass Media reported.
The Central Clinical Hospital of St. Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow, is a multi-field medical institution with 250 beds. The hospital is an institution of the Russian Orthodox Church. Patients from Moscow and other regions of Russia regardless of their religion receive medical treatment at the hospital. Many patients are brought to the hospital by medical emergency teams. Medical examination and treatment are free of charge for all patients. Every year the doctors receive up to 20,000 patients. In-patient medical aid is received by over 10,000 people.
For many years the St. Alexis Hospital has been a scientific and training base for the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University (RNRMU). Graduates of St. Dimitry’s School for Sisters of Mercy also undergo practical training there. Six Doctors and twenty-four Candidates of Medicine, nine professors and seven associate professors work at the hospital. 120 doctors and registered nurses have the highest and first qualification categories.
