Kyrgyzstan: Tension and violence continue in the south

MSF calls for impartial access to healthcare

Kyrgyzstan | 20 July 2010

© Alexander Glyadyelov
Photo taken June, 2010 of an Uzbek woman in the inner yard of her burned house in Jalalabad, Kyrgyzstan. .

Five weeks after violent clashes erupted in the south of Kyrgyzstan and despite an apparent return to a more peaceful situation, doctors, psychologists and nurses working for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) continue to deal with cases of violence on a daily basis. More concerning still, the capacity of victims to receive adequate healthcare depends on the community to which they belong.

“Every day, in our mobile clinics and health facilities with which we collaborate, our medical teams treat patients who have suffered heavy beatings or who even show signs of torture. Many people, especially from the Uzbek community in Osh, are not going to hospitals as they are afraid of being arrested,” says Andrei Slavuckij, MSF program manager for Kyrgyzstan.

Amid a climate of fear and deep mistrust between Uzbek and Kyrgyz communities, access to healthcare is still a major concern due to the presence of armed personnel in and around some health structures in Osh. The fear of not receiving adequate and impartial medical services deters many people requiring urgent medical attention from seeking adequate care.

“In such a tense and volatile context, we call on all responsible authorities to preserve the neutrality of medical facilities. It is essential that any patient who needs care can receive adequate treatment, regardless of their origin,” says Bruno Jochum, director of operations for MSF.

Since the start of the current crisis, MSF has provided more than 1,400 medical consultations through four mobile teams in and around Osh and Jalalabad. MSF has also been supporting 25 health structures with donations of drugs and medical equipment. Today, thousands of people are still in a state of deep shock after the extremely violent and traumatic events that took place in June. Mental health needs are immense and MSF is increasingly focusing its action on psychological support.

MSF has worked in Kyrgyzstan since 2006, providing medical treatment to tuberculosis patients in the penitentiary system, including those suffering from the most resistant forms of this disease. Today, 45 MSF employees, including 19 international and 26 Kyrgyzstani staff are running the current emergency operation.