Fort Ross Dialogue 2020 - Health

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Day 3: US-Russia Health Cooperation: Borderless Threats Require Global Solutions

Fort Ross Conservancy opened Day 3 of the world-renowned Fort Ross Dialogue with a distinguished panel of international health care experts who focused their discussions on the state of the world pandemic, potential vaccines, and the pressing health care concerns facing America, Russia, and the entire world.  Featuring health experts from the U.S., Russia, and Europe Dr. Stephen J. O’Brien, Dr. Vasily Vlassov, Dr. Erica Richardson, all of whom have collaborated in US-Russia healthcare for several decades. All discussants agreed on the critical need for greater communication and cooperation with the goal of developing sustainable global solutions for the current, as well as future, global health crisis. 

Opening remarks: Igor Polishchuk, Fort Ross Conservancy Director of External Communications

Speakers: 

• Judy Twigg, Moderator & Speaker, Virginia Commonwealth University, Professor
• Dr. Stephen J. O’Brien, Nova Southeastern University, Professor and Director of Research, Office of Research and Technology Transfer
• Dr. Vasily Vlassov, Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia, Professor
• Dr. Erica Richardson,European Observatory on Health Systems, Technical Officer

From Judy Twigg, Virginia Commonwealth University, Professor: “So much has become so highly politicized in both of our countries. Many bilateral programs in the health sector have been curtailed or closed and many colleagues in Russian are now reluctant to continue work with Western partners. But today, the Covid pandemic is a vivid example of an all hands on deck approach, where each country needs to bring its own comparative advantage to the table, bring its own unique array of experiences.”

From Dr. Vasily Vlassov, Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia, Professor:  [US-Russian professional exchange] “is not only a connection of friendship and working together but it is the biggest enterprise of producing ideas…and for me it is difficult right now to think that we are in the cold phase. I believe that we may go again to a warmer place.”

From Dr. Erica Richardson, European Observatory on Health Systems, “You can look at what is happening in one country and get inspiration from that to try something different in your country because at the end of the day we’re facing the same population – health challenges.

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