Russia: Reform and Reality

Alexandra Vacroux, senior scholar with the Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies.

The dramatic implosion of the Soviet Union made privatization of many state services a sudden reality for Russia. The problems that ensued involved a complex mix of confusion, corruption and financial shortages. This was particularly true of health services as regions struggled to provide medical care to desperate populations. Alexandra Vacroux describes a health care delivery system that, in its crisis, reflects larger issues of governance in Russia today.