President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov discusses herbal remedies in the March 2020 video “Harmala: A Treatment for Many Diseases.” Still image from Turkmenistan Today news portal.
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A pandemic, by definition, affects everyone. There are now reports that the coronavirus has reached Turkmenistan, one of the most isolated and closed countries in the world. In recent years, the gas-rich desert nation has suffered a prolonged economic recession, leaving observers wondering how Turkmenistan’s public services would respond to a full-scale humanitarian emergency.
At the time of writing, Turkmenistan is one of the few countries in Eurasia that does not have data on confirmed coronavirus cases in the authoritative Johns Hopkins University online map. This may be because accurate information is notoriously difficult to obtain from a country where information is tightly controlled and media censorship is ubiquitous.
That’s right, Turkmen government officials have remained silent about the bad news at hand. They barely mention the word “coronavirus,” and it hasn’t appeared on any government websites since it was briefly mentioned on March 5. On the same day, RFE/RL’s Turkmenistan Service, citing medical sources in the capital Ashgabat, wrote that at least the coronavirus is probably present. Two people have been confirmed to be infected with the new coronavirus in Japan.
The number of coronavirus cases in Turkmenistan is not unbelievable. The country borders Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to the north, both of which reported their first cases this month and declared a nationwide state of emergency this week. Turkmenistan also shares 1,148 kilometers of southern border with crisis-hit Iran, with more than 17,000 known cases and around 1,200 deaths. . Like its other neighbors in Central Asia, Turkmenistan maintains active trade with Turkey and China, while Turkmenistan nationals study and work in Russia, where infections are rapidly increasing.
pull up the drawbridge
The first official mention of the threat to public health in Turkmenistan came after the new year.
Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs website said on January 8 that the country’s Ministry of Health issued an order regarding the identification of symptoms and treatment of “unknown lung diseases.” The ad hoc committee was convened on January 20 to discuss preventive measures, including improving the conditions of domestic hospitals, establishing quarantine zones in border areas, and conducting unspecified medical tests on all arrivals from infected countries. did.
On February 25, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov held a special meeting and spoke about the need to combat the virus and other “health threats.” As expected, Turkmen government officials did not respond to questions from RFE/RL or other international news agencies about coronavirus cases in the country. There seem to be some signs of readiness. American news agencies also report that government ministries are increasingly checking the temperatures of their employees. Suspected patients have been sent to Chonggari Infectious Disease Center, but the number of infected people at the center remains unknown. Pools and sports halls in Ashgabat have been closed since March 4, and weddings and other large events have been canceled or postponed.
Turkmenistan’s few tourist resorts, including Ahvaz on the Caspian Sea coast, have been closed in recent days, and the Ministry of Health has been closed since at least February, according to Turkmenistan Chronicles, an independent website that tracks political and social developments in the country. Leaflets containing information on coronavirus symptoms were distributed across the capital. Nevertheless, authorities began distributing a new version of the booklet in March that omitted mention of the virus by name, according to Fergana News, an independent news site focused on Central Asia.
Details of the information leaflet regarding the symptoms of the new coronavirus infection. This version was distributed in his February. Photo (c): Turkmen. news. Used with permission.
However, the strictest measures appear to be against international travelers. On February 3, Turkmenistan closed its entire border with Iran, followed by borders with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Meanwhile, Turkmen authorities are trying to repatriate Turkmen people living and working in the affected countries. More than 200 Turkmen nationals returned from China in February and are being quarantined in Lebap province.
Turkmenistan Airlines suspended all flights to and from China on February 29, and subsequently suspended operations to several other destinations. Representatives of the airline told state media outlet Turkmen Portal that the remaining flights from Turkmenistan are still departing from Ashgabat, but are returning to the western city of Turkmenabat, where medical facilities are set up at the airport. he said.
On March 15, Fergana News reported that the struggling airline could no longer compensate passengers for canceled flights. Several major international airlines, including Turkish Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Belavia and flydubai, have also temporarily canceled flights to Turkmenistan.
Disturbingly, on March 13, Turkmenistan Chronicle journalists reported that some passengers arriving in Turkmenabat from abroad were released from mandatory quarantine minutes after paying bribes of $100 to $800 to authorities. It was reported that it was completed.
Meanwhile, medical institutions continue to praise the measures outlined by President Berdimuhamedov. On March 5, Health Minister Nurmuhamet Amanepesov admitted that this approach is the reason why no coronavirus cases have been recorded in the country.
medicinal herbs
Turkmenistan’s most prominent response to the pandemic was the herbal remedies proposed by President Berdimuhamedov. In his address to his Cabinet on March 13, the President said that his own book on medicinal plants contained useful advice, and pepper, like garmala (common rue), is also used to fight infectious diseases. pointed out that it could be useful. The president declared that the country should learn from its “wise ancestors” and asserted the health benefits of using garmala as incense.
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Centuries of experience have proven that light smoke can effectively prevent the spread of various invisible viruses to the human body. In this regard, our leader emphasized that in light of today’s world events, the tradition of our people of burning herbs is especially important in these complex times.
Berdimukhamedov, who served as Turkmenistan’s health minister from 1997 to 2007, has written several books on health care, including one on horses and one on tea. His 2013 book details the medicinal properties of over 150 of his plants native to this arid region.
According to this recent video produced for state media outlet Turkmenistan Today, Garmala, a “cure for a thousand diseases,” plays an important role in Turkmen culture. He goes on to say that burning desert grasses to release aromatic smoke is an essential part of any big celebration, from a wedding to the dedication of a new home.
According to media reports, it appears that the president’s advice is already being strictly followed. Orient TV, which advertises itself as “Turkmenistan’s first non-state television station,” said the herb was burned during a March 14 meeting between UN representatives and Turkmenistan government officials. After using the disinfectant, the handshake continued as normal.
While it may be easy for observers from afar to simply dismiss this herbal medicine as another eccentricity of President Berdimuhamedov, the Chronicle of Turkmenistan notes that this herbal medicine is not part of proper medical care in the country. This suggests that it could be a smokescreen in both senses of the word. State media continues to provide cheerful coverage of the president’s recent efforts. Turkmenistan is preparing to hold Nowruz, or spring festival, on March 20, despite the World Health Organization’s strong recommendation against holding large public events.
