Combating tuberculosis incidence in the Kalmyk ASSR during the 1960s –1980s.

The tuberculosis situation in the territory of the Kalmyk ASSR had long been unfavorable, and the postwar recovery period did not begin until the late 1950s, significantly hindering efforts to combat the disease. This study, based on materials from the National Archive of the Republic of Kalmykia and the State Archive of the Russian Federation, examines the process of fighting tuberculosis incidence in the region during the 1960s–1980s. Information on socially dangerous diseases, including tuberculosis, was restricted in access and remained classified for a long time. The article publishes for the first time archival materials and statistical data reflecting the work of healthcare authorities in the Kalmyk ASSR and higher executive bodies in combating tuberculosis, as well as the trends in morbidity rates. The state’s national policy toward this dangerous disease was systematic and involved a wide range of measures. However, the success of its implementation largely depended on the region’s economic well-being, the availability of funding, local organizational efforts, and the professional capacity of healthcare personnel. The study concludes that, despite economic lagging behind other regions and the delayed onset of the recovery period following the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945, the efforts to fight tuberculosis in the Kalmyk ASSR yielded positive results, achieving a significant reduction in morbidity rates.