Specialists from "We are for Healthy Medicine" social movement have published a report which says that the government's plans to close hospitals and cut jobes can destroy Moscow health service for ages.

      Moscow medics say the situation in public health service is currently close to disaster. Great number of community health workers may lose their jobs because of the latest health reforms which will lead to lack of free care. Social activists have signed a petition for local authorities to postpone hospitals mass closure. Otherwise they promise to start a campaign for dismissal of Moscow governor Sobyanin.

      Some reports reveal that Moscow authorities plan to discharge about one third of health workers in the Russian capital only. The say the changes must help to modernise an outdated and inefficient system, and to facilitate a pre-election pledge by President Vladimir Putin to increase doctors' salaries.

      According to the report, government expenditures for medicine in Russia can be compared to the poorest countries in the world. Medical services continue losing their quality and accessibility for common people. The reforms could make the situation even worse leading to the loss of up to 10,000 doctors' jobs and the closure of some 28 hospitals and clinics by early next year.

      In November thousands of Russians from difficult social movements took part in protest marches in Moscow and other cities against health reforms. Some protesters were dressed as grim reapers or carried coffins representing the death of healthcare. The next protest meeting is planned to take place in January 2015.