Formation of Soviet Medical Care to Indigenous Minorities of Turukhansk Territory in the 1920s

Abstract

Due to the specifics of its geographical and climatic location, historically formed disease structure, ethnic approach to the development of traditional medical culture, the North territories’ population possesses a range of characteristics significantly different from the national average. This determines a number of problems and contradictions in medicine. The research of medical care to indigenous minorities of Turukhansk Territory in the 1920s is chosen because of its poor study, as well as the peculiarities of social and economic life of the region and national policy of the Soviet government. The article investigates the early Soviet policy in the sphere of health protection of the indigenous minorities of Turukhansk Territory. It considers two interrelated issues: it characterizes ethnic and regional aspects of traditional medicine; it reveals peculiar traits of the developing Soviet medical care to the indigenous minorities. We conclude that during the period under study despite the lack of financing and medical personnel the forms of interaction with the indigenous minorities of Turukhansk Territory were searched for. Those concerned managed to change the peoples’ attitude to doctors and medical assistants, to involve them into the anti-infective vaccination and to start health education programme. However the problem of publicly accessible medical care was solved only in parts, since major changes in living conditions did not happen, an extensive network of health facilities available to the general public was not created. The article is designed for specialists in the sphere of national healthcare history and cultural life of peoples of the North.