On maternal and infant mortality in the north of Turkmenistan Within one week, from 18 to 24 August, three out of 12 birthing mothers and five out of 12 newborn babies died in the Dashoguz municipal maternity clinic. Since Soviet times the Dashoguz region has been notorious for its maternal and infant mortality rates. For instance, according to 1989 data, the average infant mortality rate across the USSR was 22.7 (out of 1000 newborns), whereas in the Tashauz region this index reached 66,3. At that time it was associated with environmental and social problems. The authorities acknowledged these statistics and tried to remedy the situation. The resolution issued by the Supreme Soviet of the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic as of 17 November 1990 stated: “The damage to the environment, caused by the drying of the Aral Sea, unacceptable contamination of the Amu-Darya river, exacerbated soil and land reclamation conditions and low social security levels resulted in the fact that, based on environmental conditions and public health records, Tashauz region and Dargan-Atinksky district of Charjou region can only be referred to as an environmental disaster zone. The region is experiencing severe life-threatening environmental problems. The maternal mortality rate exceeds the average all-union index by 3 to 4 times”. However, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, all programs committed to improving public health in an ecological disaster zone have been curtailed and neglected. Since independence the region’s environment has been deteriorating, the social problems – unemployment and impoverishment— have been increasing and the healthcare system has been deteriorating. The authorities no longer publish any statistics and, most probably, do not even collect this data, especially those which deal with the population decline. Judging by the data we managed to obtain within a week, even if this week was abnormal, it can be concluded that currently the maternity and infant mortality rate significantly exceeds the statistics of the late 90s. Moreover, these women and infants died in the urban area— the administrative centre of the region. We are not aware of the situation in rural maternity homes. Back then, a Turkmen expert who now holds a senior position, wrote in his monograph: “The analysis of maternal mortality rates in Turkmenistan for 1986-1990 showed that up to 70% of fatalities could have been prevented or conventionally prevented”. In other words, even at that time, problems with the low qualification level of doctors, obstetricians and nurses had existed. Observers note an extremely low qualification level of today’s healthcare practitioners and representatives of public health services in Dashoguz velayat, which exacerbates the situation with regard to overall public health.
Posted on: Wed, 08 Oct 2014 08:18:43 +0000