Vladimir Putin began his tour of the medical centre at its reception desk. There, he listened to a short briefing by chief physician Yelena Petrova, who described the new establishment, after which he asked her about staff salaries and compensation.

The average monthly salary is 12,000 roubles for a doctor and 7,000-8,000 roubles for a nurse, Petrova said. "We'll raise them," Ryazan Region Governor Oleg Kovalyov assured the prime minister. The local medical centres are currently in transition to different labour remuneration standards, he added. Once the transition is complete, all medical professionals employed by high-tech centres like the perinatal centre will receive a 50% addition to their salaries from the regional budget, which means that doctors will make around 22,000-25,000 roubles a month, said Minister of Healthcare Tatyana Golikova, who accompanied Mr Putin. The prime minister said he hoped that they were right.

His escort showed him to the newborn wing, where only one of fifteen small wards was actually occupied. Mr Putin then visited a mother of a large family who gave birth to twins only days before. He presented her with a gift certificate for a pram and instructed the governor to provide her with better housing.

During his tour of the building, the prime minister also examined the delivery wing, which has been fitted out with highly modern equipment.