The concluding conference of the USAID project "Improving Care for Mothers and Babies" was held at the Kulakov Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology in Moscow on November 17, 2011. It was timed to the World Prematurity Day celebrated annually on November 17 by decision and initiative of the European Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants.

The goal of the three year project was to assist counterparts in three Russian regions to reduce rates of maternal and infant mortality and morbidity, to reduce abortion rates through more appropriate use of family planning and modern contraceptive methods, and to introduce relevant up-to-date regulations, standards and guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation. The general concept of the project is built on the successes and models developed through prior USAID maternal and child health projects, and successful international models, such as UNICEF's "Baby-Friendly Hospitals" and "Youth-Friendly Clinics," as well as the WHO partograph and associated guidelines for preventing pregnancy complications.

Head of the department of obstetrics and gynecology of Tver State Medical Academy Prof. Y.V. Raskuratov has been among the leading specialists of the project since its beginning in 2008.

In the frame of the concluding event Tver State Medical Academy conducted teleconference between experts of the Kulakov center and departments of health of Tambov, Tula, Ivanovo, Tver, Bezhetsk, Kostroma and Yaroslavl. Since beginning of 2010 TverSMA has successfully organized 10 web-based teleconferences with overall participation of 1000 specialist from all over Russia.

In October 2011, University of Saarland (Germany) hosted a delegation of Tver State Medical Academy, introducing its members, through clinical rounds and workshops, research experiments, participation in surgical operations and examination of patients to practical life of our partner university. Ophthalmic surgeons of TverSMA participated in keratoplasty surgery with the use of the femtosecond lasers based on the latest innovations in nanotechnology, together with their German counterparts they also discussed development of the corneal eye bank in Tver.

In addition to that, representatives of fundamental departments of our collaborating institutions highlighted priorities and challenges in development of joint research projects in human genetics and medical biology.

Tver State Medical Academy and University of Saarland (Germany) jointly conducted international workshop on “Nanotechnology in Dental Medicine” on October 3-4, 2011 at Tver State Medical Academy.

The Europe's leading specialist in the field of nanotechnology in dental medicine, Vice-President of the University of Saarland Prof. Dr. Matthias Hanning opened the workshop with presentation on nanomaterial in preventive dentistry. His colleague from the University of Saarland Assistant Professor Dr. Stefan Rupf spoke about the use of modern nanoadhezive systems and composite nanomaterial in clinical practice and studies of dental plaque at molecular level. The second day of the workshop included master class in the premises of the dental clinic of TverSMA.

The workshop was broadcasted to Moscow and Torzhok allowing specialists of these cities to participate actively in its work.

The 2nd Balkan Forum on «Innovative Technologies in Health Care» took place in Nesebar, Republic of Bulgaria on September 29 – October 2, 2011.  The forum was organized by the Association of Physicians of the Balkan countries and the Black Sea Coast — the alliances created by initiative of public organizations of Bulgaria and Russia aiming to developing professional relations, scientific and educational exchanges and mutual increase of the medical care.

This year more than 200 leading specialist from Russia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Georgia and Kazakhstan attended the workshops on anesthesiology and intensive care, endocrinology, drug and alcohol abuse, otorhinolaryngology, tuberculosis and pulmonology.

Professor S.I. Sitkin of Tver State Medical Academy, Head of Anesthesiology, Resuscitation and Intensive Therapy Department of TverSMA and chief anesthesiologist-resuscitator of the Ministry of Health of the Tver region presented report on the "Use of long-term epidural analgesia in preparation for surgery in patients with chronic pancreatitis and severe pain."

International Forum "Ethics and Mercy of Medical Community" has opened in Tver on September 29, 2011. The event is organized by joint efforts of the bodies of the Russian Orthodox Church, Society of the Russian Orthodox Doctors, Government of the Tver Region, and Tver State Medical Academy. Together with their Russian colleagues representatives of Belarus, Latvia, Moldova and Ukraine participate in the forum as well.

The organizing committee has stated that the principle goal of the forum is effective unification of efforts of doctors and clergymen of the Russian Orthodox Church that should contribute to improvement of health in Russia.

The congress will discuss variety of issues related to family, motherhood and childhood, ethics and moral dilemmas in the modern medical community, the role of the Russian Orthodox doctors and nurses in dealing with complicated health and social problems.

The International Forum "Ethics and Mercy of Medical Community" will last until October 1. Following the discussions the participants will approve an ethical code of Orthodox medical professionals that will guide them in their professional activities.

The European Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Therapy (ESRA) was founded in 1980 to further regional Anesthesia in Europe. The first congress was held in Edinburgh in 1982 and since that year the society has gone from strength to strength, with a current membership of over 2000 throughout Europe. The scientific standard at the annual ESRA congress is now recognized as one of the best in Europe, and as a result carries a high rating with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, who now assigns credit hours to all ESRA congresses.

A multi-disciplinary international group of 1500 healthcare providers who specialize in regional anesthesia for surgery, obstetrics, and pediatrics attended the 30th Annual European Society for Regional Anesthesia Congress that took place in Dresden, Germany from September 7 to September 10, 2011.

The agenda of the forum included issues of ambulatory anesthesia, anesthesia in obstetrics, oncology, pediatrics, peripheral nerve blocks, neuraxial blockade, and complications of regional anesthesia, treatment of acute and chronic pain. Participants had an opportunity to gain practical experience, share and explore the latest clinical evidence, best practices and industry updates.

The Russian delegation consisted of 32 doctors, scientists and representatives of medical industry. It should be said that representative of Tver State Medical Academy Professor S.I. Sitkin, Head of Anesthesiology, Resuscitation and Intensive Therapy Department of TverSMA was the first Russian specialist to present his research at the ESRA congresses. His report on “Using prolonged epidural analgesia in preparation to operative treatment of patients having chronic pancreatitis with severe pain syndrome” in the section "Chronic pain" caused strong interest of the international community of colleagues.