KYRGYZSTAN: Rural people tackle diseases of poverty - OCHA IRIN Thursday 2 December 2004 Search Central Asia Country Profiles Latest News Afghanistan Central Asia Iran Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Pakistan Tajikistan Turkmenistan Uzbekistan Weekly Themes Children Democracy & Governance Economy Environment Food Security Gender Issues Health & Nutrition HIV/AIDS Human Rights Natural Disasters Peace & Security Refugees/IDPs RSS Feed All IRIN Africa Service Asia Service Iraq Service PlusNews Service Service Français WEB SPECIALS KYRGYZSTAN: Rural people tackle diseases of poverty [ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations] NARYN, 29 Nov 2004 (IRIN) - An unreliable state healthcare system led rural people in the central Kyrgyz province of Naryn three years ago to start local committees to tackle health problems. The practice, which began in Jumgal district, has now been replicated in almost every village in the province. The “Jumgal" model has evolved into a system enabling rural communities to act independently to improve their health. Communities decide on their health priorities and form Local Healthcare Committees (LHC) to coordinate action. The model has worked in almost all the 101 villages in Naryn province. Emgek Tala village has a big problem with alcoholism. Shaarman Alapaeva, is the local coordinator in the fight against the bottle. She puts posters on kiosks where alcoholic drinks are sold, explaining the harm to health. The activist is also busy conducting awareness-raising meetings with different groups. “This work is not paid. We do it on a volunteer basis. Some people don’t like it, others support the initiative,” Alapaeva told IRIN. Alcohol abuse, brucellosis, anaemia and high blood pressure are some of the common conditions found in the communities which are caused by poverty. Naryn is the largest and poorest province in Kyrgyzstan, with a population of more than 270,000 people. More than 80 percent of the population live below the national poverty line. “We have conducted campaigns against anaemia by distributing carrot and string beans seeds. The second was against iodine deficiency. We checked the quality of salt among 262 households with special test-kits,” Burunkan Duyshebieva, head of Emgek Tala village LHC, told IRIN. Initially, the “Jumgal model” was developed by the Swiss Development Cooperation as a part of the Kyrgyz-Swiss Health Reform Project aimed at empowering rural communities to solve their problems rather than passively waiting for the state to intervene. The SDC provides small grants, medical supplies and trainings to help rural communities deal with poverty-linked diseases. “We created Healthcare Management Committees (HMC) that together with Family Group Practitioners go to the villages and train the heads of LHCs how to fight certain diseases,” Tolkun Jamangulova, Health Promotion Coordinator of the Swiss Red Cross, a partner in the project, told IRIN. “One of the problems was inaccessibility of medical treatment. Together with local NGOs we established 11 drug stores working under the system of state guarantee – where the client could receive a 30 percent discount with a doctor’s prescription. Also, in Jumgal rayon, the percentage of households consuming iodine salt had increased, so we are having an impact, however small,” Jamangulova told IRIN. [ENDS] Other recent KYRGYZSTAN reports: Marking World AIDS Day, 1/Dec/04 ADB road rehabilitation project to promote regional trade, 24/Nov/04 Demining around Uzbek enclaves brings hope to impoverished villagers, 24/Nov/04 UN-sponsored radio targets youth, 23/Nov/04 Rights activists concerned over missing colleague, 23/Nov/04 Other recent Health reports: TAJIKISTAN: Country tops Central Asia infant mortality rate, 29/Nov/04 PAKISTAN: Effective surveillence of rabies imperative, 22/Nov/04 AFGHANISTAN: Drug abuse rising warns CND, 22/Nov/04 AFGHANISTAN: About 250,000 landmine victims struggle to make a life, 22/Nov/04 KYRGYZSTAN: Anaemia in women high due to poverty, poor diet, 15/Nov/04 [Back] [Home Page] Click here to send any feedback, comments or questions you have about IRIN's Website or if you prefer you can send an Email to Webmaster The material contained on this Web site comes to you via IRIN, a UN humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies. If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post any item on this site, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Quotations or extracts should include attribution to the original sources. All graphics and Images on this site may not be re-produced without the express permission of the original owner. All materials copyright © UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2004 HomeAbout IRIN AfricaAsiaPlusNewsRadioWeb SpecialsFrançaisSubscribeArchiveIRIN Home PageIRIN Français Home PageIRIN PlusNews Home PageAbout IRINEn FrançaisIRIN Evaluation ReportIRIN Funding Needs for 2004IRIN Readership Evaluation 2004Latest NewsEast AfricaGreat LakesHorn of AfricaSouthern AfricaWest AfricaWeekliesAfrica ThemesAfrica Country MapsAll of East AfricaEast AfricaKenyaSudanTanzaniaUgandaAll of Great LakesBurundiCAR - Central African RepublicCongoDRC - Democratic Republic of CongoGreat LakesRwandaAll Horn of AfricaDjiboutiEritreaEthiopiaHorn of AfricaSomaliaAll of Southern AfricaAngolaBotswanaComorosLesothoMadagascarMalawiMauritiusMozambiqueNamibiaSouth AfricaSouthern AfricaSwazilandZambiaZimbabweAll of West AfricaBeninBurkina FasoCameroonCape VerdeChadCote d'IvoireGabonGambiaGhanaEquatorial GuineaGuineaGuinea BissauLiberiaMaliMauritaniaNigerNigeriaSao Tome & PrincipeSenegalSierra LeoneTogoWest AfricaWestern SaharaAll RegionsCentral East AfricaHorn of AfricaSouthern AfricaWest AfricaChildrenDemocracy & GovernanceEconomyEnvironmentFood SecurityGender IssuesHealth & NutritionHIV/AIDSHuman RightsNatural DisastersPeace & SecurityRefugees/IDPsCentral AsiaIraq CrisisLatest NewsAfghanistanCentral AsiaIranKazakhstanKyrgyzstanPakistanTajikistanTurkmenistanUzbekistanCentral Asia weeklyAsia ThemesCountry ProfilesAsia Country MapsChildrenDemocracy & GovernanceEconomyEnvironmentFood SecurityGender IssuesHealth & NutritionHIV/AIDSHuman RightsNatural DisastersPeace & SecurityRefugees/IDPsLatest NewsIranIraqJordanKuwaitQatarSaudi ArabiaSyriaTurkeyUnited Arab EmiratesYemenIraq Crisis weeklyIraq Regional mapEnglish ServiceService FrançaisLatest PlusNewsEast AfricaGreat LakesHorn of AfricaSouthern AfricaWest AfricaPlusNews WeeklyCountry ProfilesHayden's DiaryConferences / ResearchJob OpportunitiesFeedback / QuestionsNews BriefsPoster GalleryPlusNews Web SpecialsAll of East AfricaKenyaSudanTanzaniaUgandaAll of Great LakesBurundiCAR - Central African RepublicCongoDRC - Democratic Republic of CongoRwandaAll Horn of AfricaDjiboutiEritreaEthiopiaSomaliaAll of Southern AfricaAngolaBotswanaComorosLesothoMadagascarMalawiMauritiusMozambiqueNamibiaSouth AfricaSwazilandZambiaZimbabweAll of West AfricaBeninBurkina FasoCameroonCape VerdeChadCote d'IvoireGabonGambiaGhanaEquatorial GuineaGuineaGuinea BissauLiberiaMaliMauritaniaNigerNigeriaSao Tome & PrincipeSenegalSierra LeoneTogoWestern Sahara* Web Special on International Women's DaySpecial Report on confronting stigmaWeb Special on HIV/AIDS in Southern SudanWeb Special on HIV in prisonsDernières nouvelles de PlusNewsAfrique de l'EstGrands LacsCorne de l'AfriqueAfrique australeAfrique de l'OuestBulletins hebdomadairesProfil paysConférences - Evènements - FormationsOpportunités d'emploiRéaction - QuestionsL'actualité en brefGalerie - AfficheAfrique de l'EstKenyaSoudanTanzanieOugandaGrands LacsBurundiRépublique centrafricaineCongoRDCRwandaCorne de l'AfriqueDjiboutiErythréeEthiopieSomalieAfrique australeAngolaBotswanaComoresLesothoMadagascarMalawiMauriceMozambiqueNamibieAfrique du SudSwazilandZambieZimbabweAfrique de l'OuestBéninBurkina FasoCamerounCap VertCôte d’IvoireGabonGambieGhanaGuinée EquatorialeGuinéeGuinée BissauLiberiaMaliMauritanieNigerNigeriaSao Tome et PrincipeSénégalSierra LeoneTchadTogoSahara occidentalRadio Home pageEastern and Central AfricaSouthern AfricaWestern AfricaCentral AsiaBurundiSomaliaSudanAngolaCôte d'IvoireLiberiaAfghanistanIRIN Web Specials* Web Special on Humanitarian Mine ActionWeb Special on violence against women and girls during and after conflictWeb Special on the threat of opium to Afghanistan and the regionWeb Special on the prospects of peace in SudanAudio VisualDernières NouvellesAfrique CentraleAfrique de l'estGrands lacsAfrique de l'ouestHebdoThèmesBurundiRCACongoRDCGrands lacsRwandaAfrique de l'estKenyaOugandaTanzanieBurundiRCACongoRDCGrands lacsRwandaBéninBurkina FasoCamerounCap vertTchadCôte d'IvoireGabonGambieGhanaGuinéeGuinée BissauGuinée équatorialeLiberiaMaliMauritanieNigerNigeriaSao Tome et-PrincipeSénégalSierra LeoneTogoSahara OccidentalCatastrophes naturellesDémocratie et gouvernanceDroits de l'hommeEconomieEgalité entre les sexesEnfantsEnvironnementPaix et sécuritéRéfugiés et déplacésSanté et nutritionSécurité alimentaireVIH/SidaView all ServicesAfrica ServicesAsia ServicesIRIN Iraq Crisis ServiceIRIN Africa English ServiceIRIN Afrique Service FrançaisPlusNews - HIV/AIDS News & Information ServicePlusNews - Service d’information sur le VIH/SIDA en AfriqueIRIN Asia English ServiceAfrica ArchiveAsia ArchiveFrançais ArchivePlusNews ArchiveRadio Archive