‘Values change with the development of well-being’: Putin on falling birth rate in Tatarstan

President of Russia Vladimir Putin mentioned a falling birth rate in Russian regions. He noted that such a situation was seen in Tatarstan.

According to the head of the country, the number of third and fourth babies is increasing, while the total birth rate is falling. Such a situation has been registered since 2019. He stressed that this didn’t have anything to do with special happenings in the world or in the country.

“This has to do with the lifestyle, the well-being. Other values — education, additional knowledge — appear with the growth of income and well-being. Then a birth of a child is postponed. And Tatarstan is not an exception,” the head of the country explained.

Tatarstan Rais Rustam Minnikhanov claimed that the pandemic seriously affected the republic in this issue. There had been observed a rise in the birth rate in the republic for ten years. He added that a complex of measures was taken in the republic to solve this problem.

“I think the clinics are amazing. Our men are strong enough. We will reassure our women,” Minnikhanov replied.

The Russian president, in turn, praised Tatarstan for a low child death rate.

“We have historically had a low child death rate. It is lower in Tatarstan in across the country in general. I am expressing special words of gratitude to you and all your colleagues,” the head of the country said during the opening ceremony of a maternity centre in Kazan.

The health care institution will be able to have up to 8.000 labours a year in the future. The centre has 120 beds. Delivery will take place in seven individual labour ward.

The birth rate has decreased by 32.4% in Tatarstan cities. 43.404 babies were born in 2012 there (excluding infant deaths), 29.357 babies were born in 2022.