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Twelve private clinics had their licenses revoked, health minister says

Authorities have assessed the performance of about 260 private clinics in Belarus and revoked the licenses of 12 of them, Health Minister Vasil Zharko told reporters in Minsk on Wednesday.

These clinics used outdated equipment, did not have first aid kits and committed other gross violations of safety rules that could have harmed their patients, Mr. Zharko explained.

The health ministry checked centers that provide not only surgical but also dental, gynecological and other services, he said.

"Our experts were barred twice from entering one clinic in Orsha. That means that they have nothing at all there," he said.

Authorities started examining private clinics after the death of 25-year-old Yuliya Kubarava during or shortly after reconstructive nose surgery at Ecomedservice, a large private health center in downtown Minsk on April 23.//BelaPAN