DUSHANBE, February 7, Asia-Plus  -- In connection with ongoing energy crisis and severe power shortages, the Ministry of Health (MoH) has set up a special commission for removing emergencies in medical facilities, Sarmo-2008 (Cold-2008), Asia-Plus ahs learned from Fotima Yoqubova, a spokeswoman for a MoH. 

According to her, Health Minister Nusratullo Salimov heads the commission.  Heads of health directorates of Gorno Badakhshan, Sughd and Khatlon provinces as well as Dushanbe and head physicians of central hospitals from districts subordinate to the center (RRPs) are to take adequate measures to ensure regular work of hospitals and report on the situation in their facilities every day.  

“Since the beginning of the year, senior representatives from the ministry have visited medical facilities across the country to monitor the energy and power supply situation,” said Yoqubova, “Inspections have established that only 13 medical facilities have regular electricity supplies, 12 other have electricity 22 hours per day, and electricity supplies to 43 medical facilities have been disrupted for more than two years.”  It was also revealed that only 54 percent of medical facilities in the country have regular access to safe drinking water, the spokeswoman said.    

According to the MoH, Tajik medical facilities have totaling 317 generators.  One of them has the capacity of 500 kW, three – 100 kWh, twenty-four – 95 kW, one – 90 kWh and the remaining 288 generators have lower capacities. 

“Some 30 tons of diesel are needed to provide daily operation of the generators,” said Yoqubova.  “It requires considerable funds, and therefore, the ministry has applied to UNDP, UNICEF, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Bank (WB) for help.”  UNICEF and WHO were first to respond to the ministry’s request and their specialists are currently working on removing some difficulties, the spokeswoman said.  

According to her, UNICEF CO in Tajikistan has already provided 25 generators with capacity of 5 kW each, 2,000 blankets, 2,800 bedclothes, 2,000 bars of soaps and other relief supplies for a total amount of more than $45,000.  WHO has provided the ministry with 56 items of medicines and equipment for storing them.