The Russian Association on Osteoporosis (RAOP), an IOF member society, has honoured two individuals for their important national work in bone health education and osteoporosis awareness. IOF extends its congratulations to the awardees for their continued commitment and extraordinary efforts on behalf of bone health across the country.

Mission to educate: Galina Evstifeeva recognized as RAOP Person of the Year

Since 2011 the All-Russian Patient Society "Osteorus" (headed by Professor O.B. Ershova) together with specialists of the Russian Association on Osteoporosis (RAOP, headed by Professor O.M. Lesnyak) have carried out impressive educational outreach, including nationwide awareness efforts for World Osteoporosis Day. After years of dedicated effort, significant progress has been achieved. A notable outcome is the inclusion of 'Osteoporosis Prevention Week' in the roster of health care system activities by the Russian Ministry of Health as of 2023. This accomplishment was largely due to the work of the Coordination Center "Osteorus", in which volunteer Galina Alexandrovna Evstifeeva from Yaroslavl plays a leading role. In recognition of her significant contribution to public

education and the prevention of osteoporosis among the Russian population and her nationally successful work in children’s education, RAOP has awarded Galina Alexandrovna with the title ‘RAOP Person of the Year’. This is very symbolic, because 2023 is the Year of the Teacher and Mentor, and Galina Evstifeeva has worked all her life as an English teacher at school. Therefore, she is particularly successful in all endeavours related to children, such as a children's drawing contest, creation of a calendar, lectures and lessons at schools, etc.

Mrs Evstifeeva stated: “The success of any endeavour depends on the team and indeed we have a wonderful and effective team, that wholeheartedly carries out the educational mission, prioritizing the well-being of individuals. And every year we are joined by energetic, creative and competent people. We have a lot of plans, because now we have not just one World Osteoporosis Day, but a whole All-Russian Osteoporosis Prevention Week!"

Dr Lyudmila Petrovna Evstigneeva honoured for outstanding commitment to professional education and secondary fracture prevention 

In recognition of her tremendous contributions to the prevention of osteoporosis in Russia, Dr Lyudmila Petrovna Evstigneeva has also been honoured as ‘RAOP Person of the Year’. Dr Evstigneeva is Chief Outside Specialist Rheumatologist of the Ministry of Health of the Sverdlovsk Region, member of the Presidium of RAOP, Associate Professor of the Department of Internal Medicine of the Ural State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, and Head of the Rheumatology Department of the Sverdlovsk Regional Clinical Hospital No. 1 State Autonomous Institution of Healthcare of the Russian Federation. 

Dr Evstigneeva is a member of the expert group of the Federal Project "Older Generation", and within the framework of the project to implement a set of measures aimed at preventing falls and fractures, she has travelled repeatedly to different regions of Russia, holding workshops in regional ministries and schools for doctors over the past few years. She provides regular methodological support to chief specialists from different regions of the country in creating a system for preventing secondary fractures and organizing care for patients with osteoporosis. Her work includes the development of local orders on the organization of care for patients with osteoporosis, the establishment of drug supply for patients, organization of the diagnostic process, implementation and development of programs for registering patient data and forms of regional and federal reporting. 

She actively participates in the development of clinical recommendations, procedures, and orders at the federal level. As the chief  specialist, she managed to establish unprecedented work on the prevention of secondary fractures in the Sverdlovsk region, thanks to which 45 organizations in the region organize assistance to patients with low-energy fractures today . Several thousand patients annually receive free medical treatment.

Lyudmila Petrovna is also actively involved in educational activities on the problem of osteoporosis for doctors, participates in various schools and lectures, speaks at the events of all-Russian and international level. She actively shares and disseminates her knowledge on the problem of osteoporosis among patients, and via media outreach.

National honours for extraordinary efforts on behalf of bone health education

RAOP has also reported that Dr Radik Zufarovich Nurlygayanov, Head of the Ufa City Center for Prevention, Diagnostics and Treatment of Osteoporosis, Candidate of Medical Sciences, member of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Honored Physician of the Republic of Bashkortostan, and initiator of the Osteoporosis Center in Ufa has been nominated by the Republic of Bashkortostan for the National Award "Leaders of Russia-2023. Strong Country" for his active work in promoting a healthy lifestyle, primarily in the prevention of osteoporosis, including in the light of the events dedicated to the World Osteoporosis Day 

initiated by the IOF. In December 2022 he took 1st place in the VIII International Professional Contest of university teachers for the development of the first educational and methodical manual for primary school teachers of general education schools in Russia on osteoporosis prevention "Health-saving technologies of osteoporosis prevention: methodical manual for grades 1-4" (co-authored with V.I. Baimurzina). The realization of educational ideas on osteoporosis prevention in Ufa has been a good example for other regions. On December 8, 2023 he was also awarded the Laureate Diploma in the nomination "Health of the Nation" for his contribution to the development of health care in Russia.