The journal «Health Сare of the Russian Federation» was established by the Public Health Ministry in the RSFSR in 1956. The first issue of the journal was published in 1957. Kurashov S.V., the Minister of Public Health in the RSFSR at the time, defined the principle directions of the journal activity in the leading article of the issue «Immediate tasks for the health authorities of the Russian Federation for 1957» as follows: «The Public Health Ministry of the RSFSR considers, that establishment of the journal «Health Сare of the Russian Federation» will help the executive staff to organize wide experience exchange, receive timely and necessary information and also consultations on how to improve operations, cover deficiencies of the Public Health Ministry. Doubtless, it will allow for more successful solutions to the objectives of population health protection in our republic».

These directions were specified in the column “Editorial note” of this issue:

«Healthcare of the Russian Federation» journal will widely cover:

а) forefront experience of the healthcare authorities, medical and prophylactic institutions and individual medical workers, firstly, in reducing incidence of industrial plant workers’, state farms’ (sovkhozes) and MTS workers’ illnesses, in prophylaxis of infectious diseases, in occupational hygiene, in carrying out broad recreational activities with the involvement of public, economic organizations and the active part of the population;

b) issues in healthcare: organization of the fight against tuberculosis, cancer, trachoma, goiter and other diseases; issues of endemic disease and health services in the Far North;

c) scientific achievements of medical and research institutes as well as suggestions by health practitioners, which are recommended for intensive implementation in the settings of health and prophylactic institutions.

The journal will systematically publish:

а) information on the issues in organizational and applied medicine, which are discussed at the Collegium meetings of the Public Health Ministry of the RSFSR, all-Russian meetings, scientific sessions of institutes and meetings of all-Russian scientific societies;

b) statistical data about health authorities and institutions, necessary for heads of health authorities and health and prophylactic institutions in their daily work;

c) instructional and methodological materials, consultations, chronicle and references»

Editorial board follows the principle directions and tasks, set by the founders of the journal, taking into account the passage of time.

63 volumes of the journal have been published since the foundation.