OREANDA-NEWS. May 13, 2011. During a visit to Kostroma, Dmitry Medvedev visited the city’s maternity hospital No. 1 and spoke with its staff.

Talking with the staff, the President said that he will give the instruction to have half the funds in the presidential reserve fund spent on buying the specialised equipment needed to care for premature infants.

Kostroma Region has posted one of the highest birth rates in Russia’s Central Federal District over recent years, with more than 30 percent of the babies in the region born at maternity hospital No. 1.

An intensive care unit for new-borns started operating at the hospital at the start of 2011, with new equipment enabling the staff to provide the needed care for premature infants.