Penza, 16 August 2012. PenzaNews. 8,287 children were born in the Penza region in the last 7 months of 2012, which is 632 children more than over that same span last year. This was put on Twitter by the deputy minister of Health and Social Development of the Penza region, Pavel Degtyar.

He noted that, according to preliminary results, Kuznetsk took the first place in the demographic, Penza — the second, and Bessonovsky area — the third.

“The natural decrease in the region decreased by 23% – from -6.0 to -4.6. Childbirth in the Penza region increased by 8.6%, with 32% of children born to rural residents,” he explained.

Pavel Degtyar added that in January–July 2012 in the villages of the Penza region, there were born 96 children more than over that same span last year.

“Moreover, illness frequency and mortality from alcoholism decreased in the region,” said the deputy minister.