Post-Soviet Russian indigenous health: the Sami people of the Kola Peninsula

As part of health care cooperation in the Barents Euroarctic Region, a group of indigenous physicians from Norway and Russia, together with the author, became acquainted with the health situation and present health service of the indigenous population of the Kola Peninsula in Russia--the Sami people. The Sami Development Centre SEG from Tana, Norway, is coordinating the project. Dr. Marina Dubovtseva visited Norwegian and Finnish Samiland in December 1995 and January 1996, and Dr. Ole Mathis Hetta and the author visited Lovozero in March 1996, looking through health care institutions as well as interviewing health care professionals and local people.