The solemn ceremony was attended by Igor Kobzev, Governor of the Irkutsk Region, Aleksandr Vedernikov, Chairman of the Regional Legislative Assembly, Aleksey Shelekhov, Acting Health Minister of the Angara Region, Ruslan Bolotov, Mayor of Irkutsk, Vladimir Shprakh, Chairman of the Irkutsk Region Civic Chamber, Evgeny Orachevsky, Director for Interaction with Public Authorities of Pharmasyntez JSC, representatives of the regional medical community, friends and relatives of the deceased medical workers.
“This monument is the symbol of honoring, acknowledging and expressing our eternal gratitude for the act of moral courage of our doctors and nurses who in the fervor of the coronavirus pandemic sacrificed their lives to save the others regardless of the difficulties, extreme work conditions and risks. In the current situation when all of that has passed what can we do to express our gratitude to our heroes with good grace? I think they would want us to simply live our lives, be healthy, support each other and continue developing. May the memory of our heroic doctors live forever,” said Evgeny Orachevsky.
Pharmasyntez company is a long-standing partner of the Irkutsk Region Government. In 2013, the cooperation agreement between the Irkutsk Region Government and Pharmasyntez JSC was signed in terms of social and economic cooperation. The agreement is annually updated. Under this agreement, Pharmasyntez JSC provided financing of more than 100 million rubles over the past 5 years.
In June 2023, an additional social and economic cooperation agreement was signed during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum between the Irkutsk Region Government and Pharmasyntez JSC. 20 million rubles will be allotted, according the agreement, to finance regional sporting, social, and publicly significant events.
As a part of supporting the region, the company places emphasis on assisting healthcare facilities. Thus, during the pandemic, Pharmasyntez assisted in the purchase of necessary equipment, protective suits, and medicines; provided free assistance by supplying the significant amounts of medicines.
During the pandemic in the Irkutsk Region, 46 medical workers from 30 medical facilities died as a result of coronavirus infection while performing their work duties. The region lost three chief doctors, 19 doctors, 18 paramedics, three ambulance drivers and three non-medical workers. Their names are immortalized on the monument.