Close collaboration between the “Bambino Gesù” Paediatric Hospital and the health centres of the Russian Federation

The Secretary of State of the Holy See, in the name and on behalf of the “Bambino Gesù” Paediatric Hospital, and the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, have signed a Memorandum of understanding to strengthen bilateral collaboration in the fields of medical assistance and scientific research. The agreement provides for the development of specific projects to involve directly the “Bambino Gesù” Paediatric Hospital and the healthcare structures of the Russian Federation.

The memorandum was signed this afternoon in Rome at the San Paolo seat of “Bambino Gesù” by Msgr. Paolo Borgia, assessor for general affairs of the Secretariat of State of the Holy See, and by Veronika Skvortsova, Minister of Health of the Russian Federation.

On the occasion, Minister Skvortsova and her delegation, accompanied by the president of the “Bambino Gesù” Paediatric Hospital, Mariella Enoc, visited the research laboratories. The delegation was composed of the Russian Ambassador to the Holy See, Alexander Avdeev, and by the director of the Department for External Relations of the Ministry of Health, Sergey Muravyev.

The scientific director of “Bambino Gesù”, Bruno Dallapiccola, along with the director of the Department of Neurosciences, Dr. Federico Vigevano, illustrated to those present the most innovative areas of research carried out in more than five thousand square metres of laboratories: from genetic research with sophisticated modern technologies to the development of cellular and gene therapies for the cure of leukaemia. “Bambino Gesù” is already active in Russia with specialist training programmes in neurology and neurosurgery for medical staff of the Morozov Children’s Clinical Hospital in Moscow and the Moscow Research and Clinical Centre for Neuropsychiatry, and with projects for the development of protocols for the diagnosis and care of children affected by epilepsy. The signing of the memorandum for cooperation in the field of healthcare and the visit of the Minister of Health Skvortsova to the Paediatric Hospital of the Holy See form part of the activities planned on the occasion of the visit to Rome by the President of the Russian Foundation, Vladimir Putin, who was received in audience by the Holy Father today.