DUSHANBE, July 20, Asia-Plus — The TB-prevention program has to date covered more than 1 million people in 11 cities and districts throughout Tajikistan, Deputy Health Minister, Azamjon Mirzoyev, announced at a news conference in Dushanbe on July 20.
According to him, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS. Tuberculosis and Malaria has provided a $360,000 grant to combat the disease in Tajikistan and delivered anti-tuberculosis medicines for 16,202 patients.
The deputy minister noted that the problem of mother and child health remains still acute in the country. “Surveys have shown that a mortality rate among babies under one year old is increasing in Tajikistan and it has to date been 16.8 cases per 1,000 newborns,” Mirzoyev said.
To tighten sanitary control specialists from the Ministry of Health (MoH) have inspected 22,900 of 36,040 medical facilities across the country. Inspections have shown that in 50.7 percent of the inspected facilities, water supply systems do not meet sanitary systems.
“The World Health Organization (WHO) has supported the country through providing pilled dried chlorine and other disinfecting preparations,” said the Tajik health official, “Besides, 100 tons of liquefied chlorine were delivered from Russia last month.”
Over the same six-month period, eight pregnant women have been diagnosed with HIV infection in Tajikistan. Four of them have stopped their pregnancies, while four other have given birth to their babies. “Two of those babies have been medically examined and they are absolutely healthy,” said Mirzoyev, “Two others are still too small and they are currently under control of medical workers.” “The point is that HIV infection can be detected in baby’s organism only 17 months after the birth.”
Tajikistan is still experiencing an acute shortage of medical personnel. Tajikistan now has 3,142 doctor’s and 4,043 nurse’s vacancies. At present 13,257 doctors and 29,437 nurses are working with medical facilities in Tajikistan.
