Healthcare development in Karelia in the 1930s

It is important to study the social consequences of economic reforms in order to form an effective state policy aimed at sustainable development. This article discusses the main directions of healthcare development in Karelia in the context of forced industrialization in the 1930s. Among the achievements, it highlights the formation of a sanitary service and an outpatient network, the development of specialized medical care, including obstetrics, and the start of the routine vaccination of the adult population. Due to the workers' declining living standards and the massive engagement of seasonal workers, leading industrial enterprises began creating their own medical institutions. Extensive training of paramedical personnel was launched for the first time. However, many health problems remained acute, especially in rural areas. Graduates of medical universities often did not remain at work for long due to the heavy workload and lack of housing. The backward communal services, difficult living conditions of migrants, and the lack of effective vaccines against a number of serious diseases contributed to a high level of epidemic threats. People complained about the queues at medical institutions, the lack of medicines, and the poor quality of medical care. Healthcare was recognized as one of the lagging areas of development in Karelia. The study was carried out on the basis of archival documents using the systemic and problem-based chronological methods.