[Main Military Medical Headquarters is two centuries]

Basing on the wide spectrum of sources the authors describe the history of creation, formation and functioning of the military medicine central headquarters in Russia, i.e. the Main Military Medical Headquarters. Control of military and civil medicine in Russia had a rich history. In XVI-XVII centuries there was a Pharmaceutical order in the system of State apparatus which served as the highest headquarters of health service in the country till 1707. Subsequently the problems of military and civil medicine were in charge of Pharmaceutical office (since 1707), Medical board (since 1721), Medical office (since 1725), Doctors' assembly (since 1730), Medical office (since 1732), Medical board (since 1763) and the 3rd expedition of Ministry of Home Affairs (1803-1805). In XIX the Medical expedition solved all the problems connected with control of military medical service. Later on this work was conducted by the Medical department of Military Ministry and since 1867 it was in charge of the Main Military Medical Headquarters. The experience of wars and armed conflicts confirms the necessity of strategic planning and development of modern military health service which is successfully coordinated by the main headquarters of Russian Armed Forces medical service during two centuries. Today the RF MD Main Military Medical Headquarters is the central organ in the system of RF Ministry of Defense, which heads the whole medical service of the Armed Forces of our country.