The epidemiological situation in Turkmenistan remains very complicated.
A staff member of the infectious diseases hospital in the district of Choganly in Ashgabat told a correspondent of “Chronicles of Turkmenistan” that on 9 September, 2021 seven patients died of coronavirus.
Because of a large number of patients in a critical condition, the hospital is experiencing a shortage of oxygen, additional volumes of which are supplied from Mary.
Radio “Azatlyk” has previously reported that each medical institution in Mary was obliged to send 5 to 15 oxygen cylinders despite the fact that the hospitals are also experiencing its shortage.
In addition, Ashgabat is running short on chlorine supplies for disinfection in public places and public transport.
On 9 September, 2021 three people died in the intensive care department of the hospital in Chardjou etrap, Lebap velayat. Three more people from the same household died in the course of two days in the village of Zerger, the agricultural association named after Niyazov.
According to an informed source at “Chronicles of Turkmenistan”, some 200 people die on a daily basis in Lebap although he confessed these numbers are a very rough estimate.
There are no available beds in infectious diseases and intensive care departments in inpatient clinics of Dashoguz velayat.
Since 6 September, 2021 the vaccination campaign has been resumed. There were no available vaccines in the provinces before. A new batch if Chinese has recently been supplied.
On Friday, 10 September, employees of Dashoguz organizations were informed of mandatory vaccination under threat of termination if they refuse to get vaccinated and do not provide a vaccination certificate for the first doze on Monday.
This resulted in a large number of those who came to the municipal and etrap hospital to get vaccinated. Because of overcrowding queues are often jumped and social distancing is not observed at all.
Rumours are circulating in Dashoguz that the city will soon be closed for quarantine.
According to correspondents of “Chronicles of Turkmenistan”, the number of those willing to get vaccinated is rapidly increasing across the country. People used to be cautious about vaccination and the Chinese vaccine but in the meantime, after witnessing the consequences of the pandemic, many decided to get vaccinated.
“People have come to realize how life-threatening the virus is, but they cannot afford to purchase medications for treatment. Prices for medications have increased several times”, an interlocutor of “Chronicles of Turkmenistan” in a pharmacy said.
For instance, in Ashgabat one ampule of an antiviral medication “Lavomax” costs 7000 manats, whereas the price for one ampule of anti-inflammatory medication “Dexamethasone” increased from 5 to 25 manats.
One ampule of an antithrombotic agent “Heparin”, which was sold at 2500 manats, now costs 5200.According to the prescription, “Heparin” injections need to be administered twice a day in the course of 5 to 6 days, i.e.
a full course of treatment will cost 52-62 thousand manats (about $1,7-2 thousand at “the black market” rate).
The antiviral medication “Avifavir”, which cost 1400 manats for a 40 pill pack, has disappeared from Dashoguz pharmacies. Many are willing to pay 2 thousands manats and more, but pharmacies have run out of this medication. Many other medications in short supply are not available.
If a person is admitted to hospital, apart from covering the cost of medications, his family must pay doctors or nurses to make sure the patient gets proper medical care. Ashgabat-based doctors charge a daily fee of $50-100 and nurses who visit patients at home to administer injections, charge 200 to 300 manats for their services.The post COVID-19: oxygen supplies sent from Mary to Ashgabat; Dashoguz employees obliged to get vaccinated; price hike for medications first appeared on Chronicles of Turkmenistan.