Social distancing and a high level of responsibility of the population still remain one of the main ways of prevention in the fight against the spread of COVID-19” says the rector of Dagestan state medical University, chief freelance specialist in therapy of the Ministry of health of Russia in the North Caucasus Federal district Suleiman Mammaev.

Suleiman Mammaev confirms that the introduction of restrictive measures at the initial stage of the spread of a new coronavirus infection was a timely and correct decision. These measures helped to reduce the increase in morbidity and keep it at the level that the health system was ready for at that time. Today the situation has changed a little, the spread of infection is decreasing, but issues of its prevention are still relevant. There are systems for diagnosing the disease and treating it and a vaccine was developed. No less important is compliance with the recommendations of Rospotrebnadzor, personal hygiene, social distancing and understanding our responsibility to others.

Workers and students of Dagestan State Medical University actively joined the fight against the pandemic from the very first days. Our teachers, students and residents worked in the «green» and «red «zones of hospitals in the Republic. Volunteers assisted in the work of the call-center of the Dagestan emergency medicine Centre, Ministry of health of Dagestan, the Department of Rospotrebnadzor for Dagestan Republic and the project «We are together»; provided Advisory support on issues of organization of medical care.

DSMU professorial polyclinic had a 24-hour hotline for consultations of leading specialists on particularly complex cases of coronavirus infection and its complications. Our employees — chief freelance specialists of the Ministry of health of Dagestan Republic in pulmonology, infectious diseases, obstetrics and gynecology, anesthesiology and resuscitation, pediatrics were in constant contact with the doctors.

In our accreditation and simulation center, trainings were conducted both remotely and in person (in small groups) in the areas that are currently relevant: measures of personal and anti-epidemic protection; features of ventilation in patients with coronavirus pneumonia, master classes in anesthesiology and resuscitation, etc.

The Institute of additional professional education of DSMU conducted training on programs developed in connection with COVID-2019 in many specialties that are in reserve for providing assistance to this category of patients. This work continues.