HIV Contagion Continues Despite Action on Hospitals
HIV Contagion Continues Despite Action on Hospitals
As further cases emerge of children infected with the HIV virus after being treated in a Kyrgyz hospital, NBCentralAsia observers say the government must take urgent action to improve healthcare practices and supervise medical institutions.
Last week, nine children under the age of two and two adults were diagnosed with the HIV virus after being admitted to Nookat hospital in the Osh region of southern Kyrgyzstan.
The nine cases followed a similar incident in June when two children contracted the virus after being given blood transfusions.
On July 30, the health ministry fired the chief physician of Osh Children’s Hospital and the head pediatrician and the heads of disease control and blood transfusion at the hospital in Nookat.
The president’s administration has ordered an investigation into cases of multiple HIV infection.
Toktogazy Kutukeev, head of treatment and prevention at the health ministry, told RFE/RFL all 11 people have been infected with HIV as a result of improper practices during blood transfusions, injections, or catheter insertions.
According to the most recent statistics, 1,233 people in Kyrgyzstan are officially recorded as HIV-positive.
NBCentralAsia observers say that doctors often use the same syringe more than once and the government must take urgent action to solve the shortage of medical equipment in hospitals.
Bonivur Ishemkulov, a government specialist on HIV/AIDS coordination and monitoring, explains that disposable syringes are sometimes used repeatedly. “Of course it’s sloppy work, but there is certainly a shortage of syringes in many institutions. It’s also possible that medical staff re-use them as a way of saving money as they are paid such low wages,” he said.
The head of the Kylym Shamy human rights group, Aziza Abdrasulova, insists equipment shortages are no excuse for malpractice.
Political scientist Toktogul Kakchekeev says the government should spend a lot more on health than it does now, hospitals and surgeries should be inspected regularly, and the public should be made more aware of HIV/AIDS.
Last month, Sagynaly Mamatov, head of Kyrgyzstan’s National AIDS Centre, said Kyrgyz doctors had been made much more accountable because of the case in southern Kazakstan last year, when 118 children were infected with HIV at a number of hospitals in Shymkent. Ten of those children have died and 21 medical personnel have been convicted of corruption and negligence in connection with the outbreak.
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
Last week, nine children under the age of two and two adults were diagnosed with the HIV virus after being admitted to Nookat hospital in the Osh region of southern Kyrgyzstan.
The nine cases followed a similar incident in June when two children contracted the virus after being given blood transfusions.
On July 30, the health ministry fired the chief physician of Osh Children’s Hospital and the head pediatrician and the heads of disease control and blood transfusion at the hospital in Nookat.
The president’s administration has ordered an investigation into cases of multiple HIV infection.
Toktogazy Kutukeev, head of treatment and prevention at the health ministry, told RFE/RFL all 11 people have been infected with HIV as a result of improper practices during blood transfusions, injections, or catheter insertions.
According to the most recent statistics, 1,233 people in Kyrgyzstan are officially recorded as HIV-positive.
NBCentralAsia observers say that doctors often use the same syringe more than once and the government must take urgent action to solve the shortage of medical equipment in hospitals.
Bonivur Ishemkulov, a government specialist on HIV/AIDS coordination and monitoring, explains that disposable syringes are sometimes used repeatedly. “Of course it’s sloppy work, but there is certainly a shortage of syringes in many institutions. It’s also possible that medical staff re-use them as a way of saving money as they are paid such low wages,” he said.
The head of the Kylym Shamy human rights group, Aziza Abdrasulova, insists equipment shortages are no excuse for malpractice.
Political scientist Toktogul Kakchekeev says the government should spend a lot more on health than it does now, hospitals and surgeries should be inspected regularly, and the public should be made more aware of HIV/AIDS.
Last month, Sagynaly Mamatov, head of Kyrgyzstan’s National AIDS Centre, said Kyrgyz doctors had been made much more accountable because of the case in southern Kazakstan last year, when 118 children were infected with HIV at a number of hospitals in Shymkent. Ten of those children have died and 21 medical personnel have been convicted of corruption and negligence in connection with the outbreak.
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
