Penza, 30 August 2016. PenzaNews. The process of collecting signatures against the privatization of ambulance service started in the Penza region at the initiative of the deputy of the Legislative Assembly, the first secretary of the regional committee of the Communist Party Georgy Kamnev.

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“Saving people is an important social function. It cannot be given into the hands of private owners, who would think of their profits and not the life and health of the people,” the headquarters of the Penza Communists commented for PenzaNews, reminding that such a reform is a fact in five Russian regions.

According to activists, ambulance privatization may lead to decrease in the quality of services, rise of their costs, disruptions in the service.

“In order to get the maximum profit, private owners will try to minimize expenditures, to save on the staff including. Low-skilled professionals need to be paid less. This will lead to saving on saving lives, which is unacceptable. Moreover, the private owner may overstate the cost of services, if there is no alternative, or, for example, if several companies make a pact. And this will only increase the budget burden,” the regional Communist committee said, adding that those regions, where the private owners had already taken over the service, experience disruptions in the ambulance service.