Russia mandates 24/7 medical stations at its busiest airports by 2026

Russia’s Ministry of Health has introduced new rules for medical care at busy airports. The regulations apply to those handling over 39,000 passengers a month. They will come into force on 1 September 2026. Under the updated requirements, airport operators must set up paramedic first-aid stations. These must provide 24/7 emergency and primary care across all airport areas. The number of stations will be decided by each airport’s management.

The stations must include a waiting area, a procedure room, and an office for the supervisor. Medical staff will also have dedicated workstations, a rest area, and a dining space. Separate restrooms for personnel and patients are mandatory.

Airports must ensure urgent primary care is delivered within 30 minutes of a patient arriving. If emergency teams cannot reach the site in under 20 minutes, an on-duty response team must be stationed on-site. Specialised rapid-response units must also be available to arrive within the same timeframe.

Not all airports will need to build these stations if another primary care unit already exists nearby. The new rules aim to improve emergency medical services at high-traffic airports. Operators have until September 2026 to comply with the requirements. Failure to meet the standards could affect passenger safety and airport operations.