p At the session of the USSR Supreme Soviet held in June 1968, the deputies heard, in addition to the report of the Minister of Health devoted to the development of health protection in the USSR, two reports made by the Chairmen of the Commissions of the Soviet of the Union and the Soviet of Nationalities on public health and social insurance. These latter reports set forth the opinions of the members of these commissions on some major problems of public health in the USSR. Many of the proposals submitted by these commissions were adopted and incorporated in the decision of the; Supreme Soviet.

p This example illustrates one way in which the people’s representatives participate in health protection. It should be noted, however, that in addition to the USSR SupremeSoviet where there are permanent commissions of deputies dealing with public health questions, there are public health commissions in all local Soviets composed of deputies, to these Soviets (republican, regional, city or district). The main purpose of these commissions is to help the public health bodies and institutions improve the working of the health service. These commissions exercise effective control over many medical institutions, and have the right to demand accounts from public health administrators having direct links with various public organisations and 67 with all sections of the population, whose interests they represent.

p But the commissions of deputies are not the only organisational form through which people can participate in health protection work. In the Soviet Union life itself has suggested numerous ways in which working people can voluntarily participate in sanitation and other health protection work.

p For example, both during and immediately after the Great Patriotic War the population had to work strenuously to prevent outbreaks and the spread of epidemics. At certain times the participation of the urban and rural population in public health activities became so extensive that it was rightfully referred to as a popular movement for sanitary culture, sanitation of the environment and improvement in people’s health.

p The many-sided involvement of the people in health protection is also characteristic of today. Public councils are organised in many curative and prophylactic institutions, as well as pharmacies. Among their members are representatives of trade union and public organisations, workers of industrial enterprises, collective farmers or tenants of nearby blocks of Hats, including pensioners, housewives, etc. These public councils help public health institutions in their day-to-day work.

p The Red Cross and Red Crescent societies are mass public organisations which also render help to public health bodies and institutions. Today these societies have a membership of more than 80 million. They organise the training of people in first aid methods and also form sanitary posts in industrial enterprises, collective farms and offices, whose job is to see that the working places are kept in a sanitary condition and to assist medical workers.

p These societies also train special nurses who look after lonely, sick and aged people in their homes on a voluntary basis. Members of these societies act as public sanitary inspectors, i.e, see to it that the streets and backyards are kept in good sanitary order.

p Every year Health Day is observed all over the country. The tradition started several years ago, on July 11, the day when V. I. Lenin signed the decree establishing the People’s Commissariat of Health, when, on the initiative of public organisations of the city of Tula and some other towns, the activities of all medical institutions and public organisations 68 concerned witli health protection were brought under review. Since then physicians and public health organisers annually, on this day, give the population an account of their work in health protection and the sanitation of the environment, while the inhabitants of towns and villages, under the supervision of medical workers, carry out various practical measures contributing to the sanitary welfare of their localities. It has already become a tradition to plant gardens and parks on this day, and to give lectures and talks on medical and sanitary subjects. Health Day is not limited to specific, even if very important and interesting medical measures, which are carried out only on this day. As was mentioned above, this is a day for the reviewing and assessment of the work of both public health institutions and the public organisations concerned with health protection and sanitary culture.

p By an edict of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet ot the USSR (1966) one of the Sundays in June has been proclaimed the Day of Medical Workers. This day is a festival not just for all the medical workers in the Soviet Union, but for all Soviet people, since the extensive participation in health protection of all sections of the population has become one of the country’s basic principles.

p These are just a few of the ways in which people participate in health protection. We must add that these activities, like the participation of industrial and office workers and collective farmers in other forms of association, help to develop a sense of collectivism, to unite people in the accomplishment of necessary tasks and to create a favourable “psychological” climate.

p Numerous examples of the participation of various sections and groups of the population in health protection could be cited, but we shall limit ourselves to one—that of Salavat, the town of engineers and chemists. We have chosen it because today there are numerous multi-storied blocks of ilats where only 20 years ago there was a bare and deserted stretch of the Bashkirian steppe. Salavat is a new development and a coeval of many such towns that have sprung up since the war. In 1964, on the initiative of the town’s public organisations, a popular movement was started for making Salavat a town of sports and health. Since then the numbcr of regular medical institutions has been considerably increased and new health education schools where both young 69 and old arc taught the basic rules of sanitation and hygiene —have been established. One example is the school for young mothers and fathers which has been opened in the maternity centre; here medical workers teach expectant parents how to look alter the newborn; give them sets of physical exercises for children, etc.

p This comparatively small town has a health university with 18 laculties. The course of training consists of 8 lectures during which the “students”’ are informed about the ABCs of human anatomy and physiology; the effects of physical exercise on the healthy and sick body; methods of hardening of the organism and the influence on health of well- organised work, rational rest and recreation, etc.

p Since industrial enterprises now work 5 days a week and factory and office workers have extra leisure-time, special "leisurc-diiy councils" have been organised at many enterprises, their members drawn not only from medical workers, but also from representatives of the trade unions and the general public. The people decided that the town should have four rest and recreation zones, as it were. The first zone consists of athletics facilities in the residential blocks. The second /one is within a radius of 3-5 km. from the town, on the picturesque banks of the Byelaya River. The third zone consists of hiking centres with hotels, cafes and athletics facilities built within a radius of 15-18 km. from the town. Kach of these centres has accommodation for 4,000 people. The fourth zone is about to be built some 100 km. from the town on the shores of the extremely beautiful Nugush artificial lake.

An important role in health education is played by the press. Not only the Medical Gazette, the professional medical newspaper, but also other newspapers and magazines offer their pages to medical scientists and public health workers for publication of scientific articles and advice on questions of public health, sanitation and hygiene. In the working plans of the Ail-Union Znaniye (Knowledge) Society, which has branches in nearly all Soviet towns, questions of health education are one of the priorities.