Nikolai Semashko (1874-1949) was a Soviet party and state leader, a physician, and one of the initiators of the health care system in the USSR (often referred to as the Semashko model or system). He was an Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR (1944) and of the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of the RSFSR (1945).
Nikolai Semashko was born on September 8 (20) of 1874 in the Yeletsk Uyezd of the Orel Province (currently the Lipetsk Region). In 1891, he graduated from the Yeletsk men's gymnasium and entered the Faculty of Medicine of the Moscow University. In 1901, he graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of the Kazan University and worked as a doctor in the Orel and Samara Provinces.
After the October Revolution, N. Semashko was the Head of the Medical and Sanitary Department of the Moscow City Council. Under his leadership, work was carried out to combat epidemics and the foundations of Soviet health care were laid down; he established systems of maternal and infant health care, child and adolescent health care, and a network of medical research institutes.
In 1921-1949 Semashko was a Professor, the Head of the Department of Social Hygiene of the Faculty of Medicine at the Moscow University (since 1930, it is the 1st Moscow Medical Institute). From July 11 of 1918 to January 25 of 1930, he was a People's Commissar of Healthcare of the RSFSR. On N. Semashko's initiative, on July 26 of 1930, the State Central Institute of Public Dining of the People's Commissariat of Healthcare of the RSFSR was established (presently the Research Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences).
In 1945-1949, N. Semashko was the Director of the Institute of School Hygiene of the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of the RSFSR and, at the same time, of the Institute of Health Care Organization and History of Medicine of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR (since 1965, the N.A. Semashko National Research Institute of Social Hygiene and Health Care Organization).
The postage stamp provides a portrait of Nikolai Semashko against the background of a rack of books, as well as the emblem of medicine - the Hygeia vessel.
| Paper |
Printing method |
Perforation |
Format of the stamp |
Edition |
| Chalk surfaced |
Offset + security system |
Comb 11¼ |
37 × 37 mm |
72 thousand stamps |