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Central Asia's COVID-19 Response Exposes Problems in Governance

Navbahor Imamova

   WASHINGTON - While slow to take hold in Central Asia, the coronavirus
   is now spreading rapidly in the region, exposing weaknesses in its
   national health care systems and the shortcomings of its authoritarian
   approaches to problem-solving.

   Leaders claim to be doing all they can to fight the virus, yet
   patients, caretakers and medics tell another story.

   From sharing personal experiences with detection and treatment of
   COVID-19 to more clinical assessments of emergency care, Uzbeks,
   Kazakhs and Kyrgyz are more vocal than ever before about the failure of
   their governments to deliver essential services.

   "The virus has shown the rot in the health care system,"
   said[1]Qamariddin Shayhov, whotook three tests and suffered what he
   described as wasteful bureaucracy as a COVID-19 patient. Shayhov is the
   founding director of Qalampir.uz, a Tashkent-based online media outlet.

   Uzbekistan's Health Ministry, in an acknowledgment that the system
   cannot accommodate all patients, has issued a manual for home treatment
   and is encouraging patients to go to private clinics.

   "This fight must involve state and private medical care providers,"
   saidPresident Shavkat Mirziyoyev. "The entire health care system must
   stay ready to deal with the pandemic."

References

   1. https://www.facebook.com/QamariddinShayxov

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