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Priorities for joint work are set out in the bilateral collaborative agreement (BCA) 2012–2013 between WHO/Europe and the Russian Federation. This framework for collaboration reflects the new vision of WHO/Europe as approved by the sixtieth session of the Regional Committee for Europe – Better Health for Europe, as well as the concepts, principles and values underpinning the development of WHO/Europe's new Country Strategy and the European health policy – Health 2020.

The aim of the BCA is to impact health, i.e., to raise the level of health and reduce inequity in the distribution of health within the population.

The priority objectives for 2012-2013 are as follows:

European health policy – Health 2020

The Russian Federation will apply a strategic and systematic approach in health policy development in line with European Health policy – Health 2020.

Health systems strengthening and public health

The recently adopted Federal Law on Mandatory Health Insurance (2010) and the Federal Law on Health Protection (2011) provide a legislative platform for comprehensive policy of health system strengthening. Health care expenditures composed 3.7% of national GDP in 2011 and will be increased further. The programme of state guarantee for health care provision will be secured by improving the health system infrastructure and human resources for health development country-wide. Policy options and tools for increasing capacity in regulation and quality assurance for medical products will be ensured.

Noncommunicable diseases (NCD), health promotion and healthy lifestyles

The Russian Federation is increasing efforts to accelerate progress towards and sustain existing achievements in NCD and injuries prevention and control, based on multisectoral and multilevel approaches. Legislative support for fiscal interventions in line with the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) will be developed. WHO has begun a long-term, multistaged project with the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation targeted at reaching a substantial tax increase on tobacco products, which would lead to the decrease of smoking prevalence, especially among women and children.

Promoting the adoption of a comprehensive tobacco-control bill developed by the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation remains the major focus of the tobacco-control programme. The bill meets most of the FCTC's requirements and suggests strong tobacco-control measures, such as 100% smoke-free environments and a total ban on tobacco advertisement.

The country is highly committed to the targets of the Moscow Declaration (2009) on road safety. The multisectoral approach to reduce morbidity and mortality of road traffic crashes applied for the project "Road Safety in 10 Countries" in two pilot regions will be replicated at Federal level.

Communicable diseases, health security and environment

The Russian Federation will have maintained polio-free status and will have made considerable progress towards measles/rubella elimination by sustaining high routine immunization coverage with polio and measles/rubella vaccines and maintaining high-quality surveillance.

To reach Millennium Development Goal targets and stop the epidemic of tuberculosis (TB) and multidrug-resistant and extensively multidrug-resistant TB (M/XDR-TB), as well as the TB/HIV dual epidemic, the Russian Federation requires strengthening health system and public health approaches towards TB control, including in the penitentiary system; addressing social determinants of TB and ensuring TB/HIV collaborative activities. This will be achieved though adopting international and WHO policies and strategies for prevention and control of MXDR-TB and TB/HIV, including updating and endorsing the National M/XDR-TB Response Plan, providing universal access to quality-assured laboratory diagnosis and quality medicines for treatment, strengthening surveillance and intersectoral collaboration. International cooperation will include participation in global and regional working groups, exchange of technical expertise and multicountry activities.

The national HIV surveillance system in the Russian Federation will be strengthened through expanding HIV surveillance targeted activities on select sites among most-at-risk populations and by building capacities in collection, processing, analysis and use of HIV surveillance data towards the development of a comprehensive evidence-based national response to the HIV epidemic.

The Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change Impacts on the Population's Health in the Arkhangelsk Region and Nenets Autonomous District of the Russian Federation will be finalized, adapted for other regions and disseminated.

Health information, evidence, research and innovation

Capacities of the WHO Documentation Centre in health information provision for policy-makers and health care providers in support of the national programme of health system information will be further developed. Policy dialogue with leading national experts on priority issues will be maintained.