Minsk is a healthy city. How the capital is implementing a large-scale preventative project.

December 12, Minsk . In 2019, the "Minsk – Healthy City" preventative project was launched, aiming to transform the capital into a healthy city. Snezhana Kavrigo, chief freelance specialist for healthy lifestyle development at the Minsk City Executive Committee's Healthcare Committee and head of the Minsk City Health Center, shared the project's five-year results during an off-site press conference, BelTA reports.

The project aims to improve the overall health of city residents, prevent diseases, and promote a healthy lifestyle. A set of measures aimed at improving public health was developed. This includes lectures, trainings, and seminars, collaboration with medical and educational institutions, supporting the health of the elderly, promoting a healthy lifestyle, organizing sports events and other initiatives, creating a healthy environment, green spaces, and parks, and preventing chronic diseases.

"We update our plans annually based on the needs of the population, which we learn about through feedback. For example, in 2019 and 2020, we carried out preventive measures"COVID-19 , and in 2023, in particular, we focused on the prevention of endocrinological diseases. In 2024 , we will focus on the prevention of diseases related to the nervous system," explained Snezhana Kavrigo.

The head of the Minsk City Health Center explained that the "Minsk – Healthy City" project was based on a project by the Russian Association "Healthy Cities, Districts, and Villages."

"Our project utilizes many methods. This year, we focused primarily on video graphics and video content. We developed 16 videos, 14 of which were accredited by the Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade and became public service announcements," added the chief freelance specialist for healthy lifestyle development at the Minsk City Executive Committee's Healthcare Committee. "PR for the project is very important."

This year, videos on drug and alcohol abuse prevention were released, distributed in educational and healthcare institutions in the capital, and are broadcast on Belarusian television channels. Snezhana Kavrigo also noted that several videos produced by Belarusians were appropriated by Russian colleagues, taking copyright into account, for distribution in their own media space.

The "Minsk - Healthy City" project is aimed at all age groups. According to the head of the Minsk City Health Center, the main focus in 2025 will be on older Minsk residents. The project's curators collaborate with various public organizations, participate in dialogue platforms, healthy lifestyle festivals, and charity events, and conduct educational seminars. Focus groups have also been established. "We are also working

with the Main Department of Internal Affairs of the Minsk City Executive Committee. The task is to develop informational materials on drug abuse prevention among adolescents. About a month and a half ago, we created a focus group. It included about 70 people: top academic achievers, children on the watch list, and parents . We concluded that separate informational content should be developed for each age group. "Parents pay attention to content, teenagers pay attention to colors and design, and children on the watch list pay more attention to information about responsibility," explained Snezhana Kavrigo.

Informational and preventive work is being conducted in a variety of areas: vaccination , rabies and alcoholism prevention, tick-borne infections, respiratory infections, and stress prevention.