Valentin Ivanovich was born on the 1st of April, 1929 in Ivanovo. He completed his schooling with honours and then had to choose between politics or medicine. At least he became a doctor.
In1952, he graduated with honours from Medicine Faculty, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University and continued to study one of the dangerous and difficult parts of medicine – infectious diseases.
As a resident, in 1950th he developed treatment and diagnostic methods for typhoid and paratyphoid fever which were quite important for that time.
Pokrovsky obtained his Candidate degree in 1955 with thesis Progression of Typhoid Fever, Organism's Protective Function and Treatment with Synthomycin under the leadership of Bunin K.V., member of the USSR Academy of Medical Sciences (USSR AMS).
In 1966 Pokrovsky prepared his doctoral thesis.
In 1968 he was appointed the Deputy Director for Research of the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, and from 1971 until present day – Director of the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology under the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation.
In 1971 he was elected as a correspondent member of the USSR AMS, and then in 1982 – as a full member.
In 1987 Pokrovsky became the President of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. He saved Academy from collapse by dividing it into new departments (Midwifery, Gynaecology, Haematology, and others).
B.V. Petrovsky said about him: “In this complex circumstance, he had demonstrated his best traits: honesty, decency, sense of civic duty, persistence and consistency in decisions. He retained the AMS as a centre for medical research and scientific reserves.”
Almost ten years Pokrovsky (6th President of the USSR AMS, 1st President of the RASM) was a director of the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology and the head of the RASM at the same time.
He is also a great doctor, a brilliant scientist who studies different medical problems, an experienced teacher, healthcare manager and respected public figure.
His experience as a doctor and researcher always helps him to maintain the most relevant scientific direction. For example, studies of meningococcal diseases and meningitis were instrumental in its diagnosis and treatment. Patients with acute bacterial meningitis need intensive care, so its development resulted in the establishment intensive care services for infectious disease.
In the early 1970s, the seventh cholera pandemic reached southern regions of the USSR. Pokrovsky led the group of scientists and doctors in combating this dangerous disease. He first developed new cholera classification based on levels of dehydration, which became the basis of the rehydration therapy to treat cholera. As a result, emergency services could be quickly provided anywhere, and it is more effective to reduce mortality. Those rehydration methods are also used to treat another intestinal infection.
He and his research team won the Government of Russia Prize for the development of Russian immunostimulants (Imunofan, an inductor of endogenous antioxidants).
Of particular value is his research on previously unknown infectious diseases (rotaviral and legionnaires' diseases, and pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma).
Pokrovsky launched a program for HIV prevention and diagnosis in Russia.
The Russian Ministry of Health had been addressed the issue of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) under his leadership and then created and implemented the HCAIs prevention strategy for doctors and scientists.
Apart from theoretical and practical issues of infectious diseases, Pokrovsky as a great epidemiologist pays attention to advancing epidemiological research.He is the author of several concepts on theoretical epidemiology.
Pokrovsky was one of the first who joined the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War and still actively participates in it.
One facet of his social activities was his membership in the Board of Trustees of the St. Dimitry Sisterhood under Patriarch Alexy II.
Membership in Editorial Boards
He is a member of the editorial board in Therapeutic archive, Journal of microbiology epidemiology immunobiology, and also, he was a developer and editor-in-chief of the Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases, Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases. Current Items, Infectious Diseases, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Medical Alphabet, and Epidemiology and Vaccinal Prevention.
Main Positions in Councils and Committee
He was a member of the Presidential Council for Science, the Government Commission on Healthcare, the Scientific Council under the Security Council of the Russian Federation, he is also the WHO expert.He was a member of the Presidium of the Higher Attestation Commission for many years.He is a chairman of the Infectious Diseases Association of Russia.
Awards and Distinctions
1971 – Order of the Red Banner of Labour.
1986 – Order of Lenin.
1994, 1999 – Orders for "For Merit to the Fatherland".
1996 – Laureate of the Government of Russia Prize for developing the treatment for cholera and other intestinal pathogens.
1997 – State Prize of the Russian Federation for his work on diagnosis and treatment for previously unknown infectious diseases (rotaviral and legionnaires' diseases, and pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma).
2001 – Medal “For Services to the national health care”.
Laureate of the V.O. Timakov Prize (1979) and D.I. Ivanovsky Prize (1986) of the RAMS.
Pokrovsky is a talented teacher.His scientific school continues to grow.One hundred and fifty students in a Candidate of Science Program and seventy students in a Doctor of Science Program hold their degree under his leadership.He is the author of more than 800 scientific papers.
