The Ministry of Health fired Alexander Mrochek, the director of the Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Cardiology

Earlier, doctors of the center held pickets

27 August 2020, 10:36 | Natalia Benitsevich, TUT.BY
Alexander Mrochek oversaw the Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Cardiology for 12 years.
Source: Dmitry Brushko, TUT.BY

The famous Belarusian cardiologist and scientist Alexander Mrochek is no longer the director of the Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Cardiology. He was fired at the initiative of his employer – the Ministry of Health.

Messages that the director of the Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Cardiology, Alexander Gennadievich Mrochek, had been fired began to reach the editorial office at night. In the morning, he was at his workplace and honestly said that yesterday, on 26 August, the conversation really did take place, but he had not seen a termination order yet. After our brief conversation, he went to the Ministry of Health to receive the order. As of today, Alexander Gennadievich is no longer the director of the Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Cardiology.

“The order says – at the employer’s initiative (the employer being, in this case, the Ministry of Health. – TUT.BY),” said Alexander Mrochek.

Is there a reason stated in the order as to why such a decision was made?

No. They said thank you, that everything is very good, but we have increased requirements, that the load will increase significantly and “I want to have my chosen person”. And that’s all, so to speak.

And what do you personally associate the dismissal with?

I think that there is a need to employ someone.

You were at work in the morning; how did your colleagues react to the news?

My colleagues did not take it very well; this morning I was at work, they all came in a crowd. Now, the acting minister (Dmitry Pinevich. – TUT.BY) will arrive to explain the situation to the team.

You have been in charge of the clinic since 2008, how do you feel now?

I can’t say; it seems that there are some personnel changes going on.

But do you not link this decision with the fact that your doctors held pickets?

I suppose so, but I cannot say with confidence as it was not mentioned today.

But yesterday the conversation was about this matter?

Yes, we discussed it.

Did you discuss pickets and that it is better not to go there?

Yes.

How do you assess the situation?

Well, what can you do? I am not at liberty here to protest, or to take any action, because the decision has been made and it is legal; there is such an article in existence, so it is quite difficult for me to object to anything.

What are you going to do?

So far, I have no job offers.

Source: Dmitry Brushko, TUT.BY

Who will run the center instead of Mrochek, he himself does not know yet. Margarita Belskaya, who is currently the deputy director for scientific work, will be acting director in the meantime.

Alexander Mrochek is a famous Belarusian cardiologist who is respected by his colleagues not only in Belarus, but also abroad. He has been the head of the Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Cardiology since 2008. He is an honored scientist, an academic of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, a Doctor of Medical Sciences and a Professor. He is a recipient of the Francysk Skaryna Medal.

The Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Cardiology performs unique heart surgeries, and there are plans to launch a hybrid surgery center here in 2024.

Source: Dmitry Brushko, TUT.BY

The website of the Academy of Sciences indicates that the main areas of Alexander Gennadievich’s applied research are the study of pathogenesis, the development and theoretical substantiation of methods for treating coronary heart disease and heart rhythm disturbances. He developed methods for early diagnosis of coronary heart disease in diabetes mellitus and thyroid diseases, as well as established the beneficial effects of galvanic current and ultrasound on the infarction zone, which made it possible to develop methods for the treatment of angina pectoris and myocardial infarction.

After the violent crackdown on protesters, the doctors of the Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Cardiology took part in demonstrations against the violence. They also supported their detained colleague Oleg Chernookiy, an anesthesiologist and ICU doctor at the center, and stood with portraits of him in a chain of solidarity. Moreover, they wrote a letter addressed to the Minister of Internal Affairs Yuri Karayeu with a request to free their colleague. On 13 August, he was released from the detention center in Zhodzina.