The mission of the world health organization (who) on Wednesday summed up the results of a ten-day work in Turkmenistan. Who experts appreciated the local epidemiological situation: the hospital, in their opinion, provided all the necessary and was carried out for 60 thousand tests. Meanwhile in Turkmenistan are still not officially recorded any case of the disease COVID-19, and the word “coronavirus”, according to some, is almost banned.Who officials on Wednesday held a briefing on which has told about a situation with COVID-19 in Turkmenistan. To the country the experts were able to get immediately, but only 6 July — four months after the who declared the outbreak a pandemic. At the briefing, who experts said: had some “logistical difficulties”. Note that neighboring Tajikistan who mission visited in may. But, according to experts at the time they arrived on a humanitarian flight, and in the case of Turkmenistan, this was not possible.To the country representatives of the organization came at the invitation of the Turkmen government. During the ten-day visit, they visited medical facilities in the region Lebap and Ashgabat, visited checkpoints on the border with Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, as well as in the international seaport of Turkmenbashi. The final statement from the who about accept Ashgabat measures has been positive. “Based on the fact that it was possible to observe the mission, the country is fully aware of the risk, which is a virus,” said the organization’s representatives at a press briefing.Who experts also welcomed the recent introduction of the Turkmen authorities stricter measures for the prevention of coronavirus. To them, in particular the recommendations of the Ministry of health of the country by wearing medical masks and preservation of social distance, closing in major cities, shopping malls and markets, the limitation of bus and rail. However, in his speech, the representatives who are silent about the fact that all of these measures were introduced Ashgabat only this week, and the breach is not prescribed in any administrative or criminal liability. Before the briefing, the correspondent of “Kommersant” to the who experts the question, was it due to the promulgation by the authorities of these recommendations, with the arrival of the mission in the country. The answer, however, was not followed.Note that the call to wear medical masks Turkmen authorities explained the “high dust content in the air due to the penetration into the territory of Turkmenistan of the air flow from the South-East, North-East and the North, which is unfavorable for human health”. This statement was issued on 12 July the information centre of the Ministry of health and medical industry of the country. The epidemic of coronavirus in the prevention of in e��om has not been mentioned.Earlier, the international organization “reporters without borders” reported: in late March, the Turkmen authorities did not allow journalists to use the word “coronavirus” in the publications and excluded him from the special brochures that circulate the Ministry of health in educational institutions, hospitals and jobs.Who experts welcomed the fact that people in Turkmenistan are wearing masks. At the end of the briefing, a journalist asked a question about masks and dust — if it was a way to “cover up” the reality of the situation. The experts said, we cannot exclude that the virus particles are transferred and dust. By the way, the hypothesis that the coronavirus can spread through the air, supported by the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. This position he, in particular, expressed in a recent telephone conversation with ex-President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev. “Known to be hazardous to human health substances, including viruses, can be transported by air currents, especially in challenging environmental conditions,— it is noted after the conversation, the publication of the state Agency “Turkmenistan today.”— Air masses that form in the zone of the Aral sea (the Aral sea.— “B”) and covering a vast geographical area, have a negative impact on nature and climate are particularly dangerous to human health”.The head of the mission who COVID-19 in Turkmenistan Dr. Katherine Smallwood said only that the organization “is known and is concerned by reports of increasing cases of acute respiratory illness or pneumonia of unknown type”. In this regard, it was recommended to increase the level of epidemiological surveillance and testing and send the test samples to the who. However, at the end of the press briefing, answering questions of journalists, the representatives of the mission said that the country “pneumonia unusual etymology no”, which contradicts the original thesis.How many tests COVID-19 Turkmenistan conducts daily briefing was unable to tell, saying only that soon will be published the report of the mission with this information. However, the level of testing experts evaluated positively: “Test all who come from foreign countries. People with symptoms of SARS also tested”. In total, as reported by representatives of who, the country has spent 60 thousand tests. A positive assessment was given and medical infrastructure. The mission, in particular, noted that hospitals are not filled, and the infrastructure is at a high level. “The health care system of Turkmenistan has the potential to counter COVID-19″— concluded Dr. Katherine Smallwood. However, the journalists of “Radio Azatlyk” have other information. In several publications they are abouttotile: in some regions there is a shortage of masks and drugs, and in infectious hospitals received daily, dozens of people with fever. There are fatal outcomes.Marina Kovalenko
