While in the town of Ostrovets Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko was made familiar with the social and economic development of Ostrovets District, BelTA has learned.

Chairman of the Grodno Oblast Executive Committee Vladimir Karanik informed the head of state about the fulfillment of the comprehensive plan on developing the district.

The oblast governor said: “Ostrovets has changed radically. It is a different district now. It was a small agricultural district in 2010, with the share of agriculture at 51%. The rest was trade and a bit of civil engineering. In January-September 2023 the share of the manufacturing sector was 90%. The district has changed its face and has changed the face of the oblast.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko wondered about the situation on the labor market, about the development of various economy branches in the region, and about social life in the district.

Vladimir Karanik remarked that in 2010 Ostrovets accounted for less than 0.1% of the oblast's manufacturing sector. Now the share is 7.3%.

Vladimir Karanik went on saying: “A huge amount of work has been done to develop the district's infrastructure. As much as Br467.5 million has been invested in it. These are unprecedented investments in human capital. In 2010 the birth rate in the district was nearly 2% below the oblast's average. Now it is 30% above it. Ostrovets is the first district that no longer has demographic entrapment. It is a town that is growing.”

Chief Physician of the Ostrovets District Central Clinical Hospital Vladimir Mozheiko informed the president about the hospital's operation in detail. The district hospital comprises a stationary diagnostics and treatment complex, a polyclinic, a nursing care hospital with general practitioner's ambulatory clinic, three general practitioner's ambulatory clinics, 15 rural health posts, a health post at premises of the Belarusian nuclear power plant construction site, and a health post at the state enterprise Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant.

The hospital caters to the population of its own district and acts as an interregional and interdistrict diagnostics and treatment center.