Court sides with activists in their dispute with Kabardino-Balkarian Ministry for Public Health

The Supreme Court of Kabardino-Balkaria granted a claim filed by the public organization “Patient Monitor” and invalidated the provisions of the territorial programme of state guarantees of free medical care for citizens of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR) for 2023-2025, concerning per capita funding standards. The Supreme Court of Kabardino-Balkaria recognized that the above-mentioned provisions failed to comply with the federal regulations.

Ibragim Sultygov, a lawyer of the public organization “Patient Monitor”, filed an administrative claim with the republic’s Supreme Court (SC). The lawyer has emphasized that the per capita funding standards provided for by the territorial programme at the expense of the republican budget are 3179 roubles in 2023, 2751 roubles in 2024, and 2751 roubles in 2025, while the average federal per capita funding standard in 2023 is 4088 roubles, in 2024 – 4251 roubles, and in 2025 – 4422 roubles.

The lawyer believes that the norms of the territorial programme, which are lower than those established by the decree of the government of the Russian Federation, significantly reduce the level of legal guarantees for free medical care for residents of Kabardino-Balkaria.

In its objections, the Ministry for Public Health of Kabardino-Balkaria referred to the lack of funding. However, the republic’s SC found the arguments presented by Ibragim Sultygov justified and invalidated the provisions of the territorial programme concerning per capita funding from the republican budget.