Tajikistan: authorities of Sogd region continue to lie and spread propaganda

Despite the huge supply of humanitarian aid to Tajikistan, doctors of medical institutions continue to experience an acute shortage of protective equipment for the treatment of patients with coronavirus.

The head of Sogd region of Tajikistan, Rajabboy Ahmadzoda, visits various medical facilities in cities and districts almost every day, providing assistance to doctors in the form of necessary assets for treating patients with coronavirus. Numerous reports on such visits are systematically published by the press service of the regional administration.

However, as it turned out, all these visits were once-only and just for show. Doctors of several medical institutions in the region, where the bulk of the patients are concentrated, have reported that they received only one batch of aid from the state for all the time.

“Our department consists of 15 people, and for all the time, the authorities only gave us 4 protective suits only once,” the doctor said. “The rest, we get from civil activists, who buy it through fundraising from the population. We continue to use these assets, we wash them and use again, until holes appear. Respirators, masks and other assets are also provided to us by civil activists.”

The doctor of the city infectious diseases hospital also informed ACCA only about one-time assistance from the authorities. “We really lack protective equipment. We were forbidden to complain. We thank the population that helps us,” the doctor says. “Young guys systematically bring us remedies and food. All our hope is only on them. The hospital also doesn’t have several important medicines for treatment; patients buy them themselves in pharmacies.”

ACCA’s journalist found out that this situation is observed in many medical institutions in the region. Recall that in addition to international humanitarian aid, which the President of the country sent to the north of the country on his behalf as a gift, enterprises of Sogd region began to produce protective equipment for doctors. At least, during one of the meetings, it was announced by the head of the region, Rajabboy Ahmadzoda.

“Every day in the region, up to 4 thousand protective suits and 270 thousand protective masks are produced, which are provided to medical institutions and population,” said Ahmadzoda.

Where all these products actually go remains unknown. However, a source in the Regional Health Department told ACCA that state warehouses are full of protective equipment, but administration forbids them giving it to doctors.

Faced with harsh criticism from the population of the country, the administration of Sogd began to force doctors and patients with coronavirus to make videos in which they thank the President of the country for taking care of the population and comprehensive assistance. And the photo, where Rajabboy Ahmadzoda gives instructions to the doctors of one of the hospitals, lining them up on the street, disappeared from the publication of the press service of Sogd after the citizens criticized the official for dictatorial methods on social networks.

Meanwhile, doctors of the hospital in Babadjan-Gafurovsky district of Sogd region via social networks reported that all patients with coronavirus, who were in their institution, recovered and were discharged. However, as ACCA was informed by a source in the Health Department, the remaining patients of this medical facility were simply transferred to the regional hospital.