In line with the Year of the Family, VTB has announced a complimentary program designed to support expectant mothers and their children. The bank has been developing the Family Bank concept since last year to offer families a broad range of services. This new social project, created in collaboration with leading technology and medical partners, aims to lower the incidence of forced abortions, reduce newborn health risks, and ultimately improve birth rates. Partners on the project include the Mother and Child medical network, the medical technology firm Doctis, Rostelecom, the digital health group Tsifromed, and the Pulse insurance company.
The program features online consultations with specialist doctors, remote monitoring of the pregnant woman’s health, insurance coverage for pregnancy complications or critical conditions affecting the child, an online mothers’ school, and additional services. The bank stated that the initiative will begin in March across the Altai, Bashkortostan, Sakha Yakutia, and Astrakhan and Vladimir regions. A Moscow hospital and a clinic in Yaroslavl will also participate in the pilot. Based on pilot outcomes, the project will be expanded to other regions in autumn 2024 and broaden the list of health facilities where pregnant women may participate in the program. [Source: Bank press service, Year of the Family initiative]
Participation is available through VTB Online. An expectant mother needs a VTB Mir card, must register for pregnancy at a participating clinic, and install the required apps to register and access program services. After the birth, eligibility for benefits on the VTB Mir card expands to include postnatal coverage and critical illness insurance that extends to all children in the family up to age 18. [Attribution: Bank press release, Year of the Family program evolution]
Georgy Gorshkov, Vice President and Chairman of VTB’s Board, noted that more than half a million Russian women could benefit from the program over the next three years, making a meaningful contribution to demographic improvements and the health of future generations. [Statement attribution: VTB leadership]
Mark Kurtser, General Manager of the Mother and Child Group of Companies, emphasized that digital medicine could raise child survival rates and lower disease risks for newborns in the coming years. [Statement attribution: Mother and Child Group]
Rostelecom President Mikhail Oseevsky expressed optimism that the new program would become a real assistant to the family physician, expanding options for monitoring and treating maternal and child health. [Statement attribution: Rostelecom]
It is worth recalling that in November of the previous year, the Russian president signed a decree declaring 2024 as the Year of the Family. The decree highlights support for motherhood and childhood, improving demographic indicators, and ensuring a high standard and quality of life for Russian families as key strategic priorities. [Contextual note: Official government decree]
During a separate address to the Bundestag, the president announced the launch of a new national project named Family. The proposal included extending the validity of the family mortgage program and the maternity capital program through at least 2030. [Reference: Presidential remarks]