Uzbekistan

As temperatures rise in Uzbekistan, UNICEF and partners step up refugee health aid

© UNICEF Uzbekistan/2010

Children play in water at a refugee camp in Pakhtaabad district, Uzbekistan. UNICEF is working with partners to ensure the health of the hundreds of thousands who have fled violence in Kyrgyzstan.

By Nigina Baykabulova

PAKHTAABAD, Uzbekistan, 23 June 2010 – Temur, 1, is crying. Medications have not helped to bring down his high fever.

The little boy is suffering from overheating. His grnadmother, Salomatoy-opa, cannot hold back her own tears, either.

“I am so sorry for my grandson,” she says. “He is so young, but already exposed to many health risks.”

Protection from blazing heat

Two paediatricians are trying to calm Salomatoy-opa. “The child feels your anxiety,” they tell her.

© UNICEF Uzbekistan/2010

Refugees from Kyrgyzstan gather water at a camp in Pakhtaabad district, Uzbekistan.

The refugee camp where Salomatoy-opa and her grandson are staying opened only few days ago. It houses close to 5,000 ethnic Uzbek refugees who have been forced by conflict from Kyrgyzstan. Salomatoy-opa’s family spent four days in the basement of their house before they were able to escape across the border.

Their temporary home has shelter, water, sanitation, health services and even a barber’s stall. But shaded area is scarce. As the days get hotter, staying in tents during the daylight hours is increasingly difficult – especially for children.

“Children are more sensitive to the heat than adults,” says Dr. Dilorom Mamadalieva, one of the 33 medical workers at the camp. “Prolonged heat causes fever, dehydration and may lead to diarrhoea if not addressed quickly.”

Safe water and hygiene 

The United Nations estimates there are about 35,000 refugees who have returned home in the past few days, but many more remain in Uzbekistan. Their needs are immense, especially as the temperature continues to rise.

“A cooler place for mothers with young children would reduce their further exposure to the heat,” says Dr. Mamadalieva. “We are looking into that option.” 

Availability of safe drinking water is another issue that has a direct impact on children’s health. For daily chores like washing or bathing, refugee families use running water from the tap. They have bottled water for drinking, but this is solution is costly and difficult to sustain.

Dozens of public shower cabins and latrines were constructed very quickly along one side of the camp. Families with small children received potties. But the administration is under pressure to create more and better-designed sanitation facilities. So far they have provided families with soap and other personal hygiene items. But government resources are already overstretched, and external support is vital for interrupted supply of relief items. 

Immunization and information

To prevent infectious diseases and promote good hygiene, the medical team distributed leaflets – containing simple tips like handwashing – throughout the camp.

“We need more information materials for mothers on child care and hygiene,” says Dr. Mamadalieva. “They are our key allies in preventing childhood diseases and should be aware of the links between proper hygiene, water and diseases.”

The immunization of children is also part of a strategy to prevent disease outbreaks in the camps. Over the course of several days, all refugee children under the age of 14 were immunized against polio, as their arrival in Uzbekistan coincided with the country’s second round of a national polio immunization campaign. 

Dr. Mamadalieva says that marking a finger of each immunized child, a new technique for the country, has been very useful. Among the camp’s children, it is now easy to spot a child who has not received the vaccine. 

With UNICEF’s support, the Uzbek Government is also planning to vaccinate refugee children against measles and distribute vitamin A supplements.