MOSCOW, May 16 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in a TV interview that more regional investment was needed for hospitals and healthcare in the country.

Medvedev said in an interview with the Vesti on Saturday program that most hospitals in Russia were below standard, with rare exceptions mainly among the privately funded institutions.

'And we are all aware that treatment in these is far from exceptional. It is a complex problem, but we need to resolve it with with clear, concrete and targeted methods," Medvedev said.

He also said that there were plans to create 300 cardiac units in the country, with 82 regional centers dealing with heart disease and 240 specialist departments.

Medvedev said they were vital as heart disease is the biggest killer in Russia, which is facing a demographic crisis as its population falls each year. As of November 2007 the population stood at 142 million, a fall of 207,600.