Osh impresses with a well-organized cleft center, while Bishkek urgently needs resources and expertise despite new facilities. Progress takes time and support.
In October, our team visited the ongoing projects in Osh and Bishkek. The journey to the hospital in Osh showed just how much the city has changed: bridges and bazaar have disappeared and been
replaced by asphalt and construction sites. But once inside the hospital, we experienced another reality – a motivated team, packed waiting rooms and aclinic that is cleaner and more organised than ever before.
Saida, our speech therapist, was busy improving the results of an operation with scar massages, while Samara was providing structure in their day-to-day work. Despite difficult conditions – low salaries and a brain drain among doctors – Osh remains the leading cleft centre in Central Asia. Patients even travel from as far away as Uzbekistan and Bishkek. During our visit to Bishkek, in the centre that we had considered to be fully up and running, the situation was sobering: two new treatment units are ready, but everything is lacking – materials, x-ray technology, know-how for complex procedures. The surgeons desperately want a centre like that in Osh. Our journey showed that progress is possible, but it takes time, resources and commitment. We are proud of the team in Osh and motivated to open up new opportunities in Bishkek as well.