Health by train: reaching some of the most remote communities in the European Region

The WHO European Region includes some of the most remote locations on earth. The triple billion targets, outlined in the Thirteenth General Programme of Work, and forming the three priorities of the European Programme of Work, commit to ensuring that more people are protected from health emergencies, more people receive high-quality, easily accessible and affordable health care services, and more people enjoy better health and well-being.

Leaving no one behind in health is central to these aims. In the Russian Federation, the Saint Lukas medical train has delivered health care directly to people in Siberia for many years – providing a health lifeline to communities.

The train is fitted with modern equipment, including an X-ray machine, ultrasound diagnostics, laboratory diagnostics, a dental office, urology exam rooms and surgical rooms, a telemedicine consulting department and others. These services offer consultative examinations and telemedicine consultations for complex cases, with specialists from regional health care institutions and federal clinics.