PCPM’s mission in Tajikistan

27 June 2020 / News
  • The three-week PCPM’s mission in Tajikistan has ended
  • Polish medical professionals shared their knowledge and experience in the fight against COVID-19
  • We were supporting the entire country, from the capital to the Fergana Valley and the Pamir Mountains

Rapid response specialists, nurses, doctors, infectious disease specialists and humanitarian aid experts set out on a mission to Tajikistan on June 6, as a part of the PCPM Emergency Medical Team. They took with them equipment with a total weight of 1 ton, which was allowing effective help regardless of the conditions. For three weeks, they helped the entire country in its fight against coronavirus pandemic. They were the only international medical team that reached the hospital in Khorugh, where there is a shortage of medicines, and places with access to oxygen are very limited.

In the second half of May, the World Health Organization forwarded to international medical teams (there are 29 such teams in the world certified by WHO) the request of the Ministry of Health of Tajikistan for foreign assistance amid the pandemic. One of these teams is the one run by the PCPM Foundation. The main goal set for the teams was to support hospitals, primarily through trainings, so that they could meet WHO standards in the field of treating patients and preventing infections in hospitals.

Medical team from and @WHO experts are en-route to as part of a large scale operation coordinated by WHO/Europe to enhance #COVID19 care in the country. #Coronavirus doesn’t respect borders. Solidarity between countries around the world is vital to fighting the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/WSDgjpnvI5

— WHO/Europe (@WHO_Europe) June 6, 2020

The team, after arriving on Sunday morning and briefing at the Ministry of Health, divided into two groups. The first group started working in the capital, Dushanbe. The other part went to the Pamir Mountains, to the Gorno-Badakhshan (“Mountain Badakhshan”) autonomous region, where numerous cases were recorded compared to other parts of Tajikistan.

– The journey to this place took us two days by car, on a narrow mountain road. There are very difficult field conditions and problems with equipment there – explains Dr. Wojciech Wilk, the CEO of PCPM. – This is not only expert assistance, but also humanitarian. It is about reaching places that are difficult to access, with the aim of helping and sharing our knowledge, in a spirit of solidarity. Places where the epidemiological situation is extremely difficult – he concludes.

Chorzy na #COVID19 mają zmiany widoczne dzięki badaniu USG. Pokazujemy to lekarzom w Górskim Badachszanie. Przyjmują nas z uwagą, ciekawością i otwartością. Ich praca, tak jak innych medyków stających przed nowymi wyzwaniami na całym świecie, jest szczególnie wymagająca. pic.twitter.com/oLsXmeREbi

— RatownicyPCPM (@RatownicyPCPM) June 16, 2020

The more so because in some Tajik hospitals a large percentage of doctors and medical personnel have been sick with COVID-19.

Konsultujemy, szkolimy, badamy, doradzamy, dzielimy się wiedzą i doświadczeniem w prewencji i leczeniu #Covid_19, a nawet pomagamy w organizacji funkcjonowania szpitali w miejscach gdzie są ogniska #koronawirus w #Tadżykistan. #PolandEMT #RatownicyPCPM pic.twitter.com/rJBIi10zhB

— RatownicyPCPM (@RatownicyPCPM) June 23, 2020

In many countries, the healthcare system is overloaded with coronavirus admissions and is unable to cope with the growing number of patients. There are over 70 countries such as Tajikistan that have asked for assistance. These are the countries of Africa, Latin America and Asia. Over the past days, WHO has forwarded requests from Cameroon, South Sudan and Armenia, to a group of medical teams, for support in the fight against COVID-19. The problem, however, is that there are very few medical teams which can respond to these appeals and take an action. One of them is the Emergency Medical Team run by the PCPM Foundation.

Official profile of the PCPM Emergency Medical Team on Facebook
Official profile of the PCPM Emergency Medical Team on Twitter

PCPM Emergency Medical Team supports medical professionals fighting for health and life around the world. We share our knowledge and equipment. EMT members have been helping in Italy, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Support our activities by making a donation. Thank you!