BISHKEK -- Zharkynai Taalaibekova was working a nightshift as a neurologist at a Bishkek hospital when a young woman arrived in an ambulance accompanied by four relatives.
Taalaibekova says the patient -- a university student -- showed symptoms of having a respiratory-tract infection. After a check-up, the doctor told the relatives to take the woman to the infectious diseases department.
It was a busy night with many patients in the neurology department -- some suffering from stokes -- and all awaiting for care from Taalaibekova. The only physician on duty in the ward – she was also tending to 10 patients in the intensive care unit.
But the student’s relatives insisted that she treat the ill student in the neurology ward. Taalaibekova refused and they attacked her.
Security camera footage at the National Hospital shows three women dragging the doctor and pulling her by the hair, while several other bystanders tried to rescue her.
“The patient’s sister beat me, kicked me, and I had marks from her shoes on my uniform,” said Taalaibekova, describing the December 2023 attack. “The attackers fled when we called the police.”
That violent incident was unfortunately not isolated.
Physical violence against doctors and nurses has surged in Kyrgyzstan in recent months, with some of the victims needing medical treatment after being beaten by the friends or relatives of patients, officials say.
There are no official statistics for the number of attacks on health-care workers in Kyrgyzstan. But the spike in such incidents prompted 14 doctors at the National Hospital to submit their resignations in February to protest what they see as an inadequate response by authorities, according to the Independent Trade Union of Health-Care Workers in Kyrgyzstan.
The head of the union, Bermet Baryktabasova, says lawmakers must add a new article to the Criminal Code for assaulting medical workers, so that attackers are charged both with obstructing medical activities in addition to the assault charges.
Lawmaker Zhanar Akaev proposed in parliament on February 8 that Kyrgyzstan follow the example of neighboring Kazakhstan and introduce jail terms for those who attack medical workers.
Underpaid Medics, Frustrated Patients
In Bishkek’s Birinchi May district, a doctor suffered a traumatic brain injury in September when the husband of a patient attacked the medics treating her in the emergency room.
“Three medical personnel suffered injuries as a result of the attack -- one was hospitalized with a concussion and two others received outpatient treatment,” Bishkek emergency hospital officials said.
In the most recent attack, a 24-year-old pregnant nurse was beaten by a female visitor in the trauma department of the National Hospital in late February, according to the State Committee for National Security.
The nurse -- who asked for anonymity due to privacy concerns -- told RFE/RL that the woman apparently got angry when she asked the visitor to leave her hospital room, where the medic needed to patch up a wound on a patient.
“She hit me against the wall several times…and knocked me to the floor,” the nurse said. “I was just doing my job.”
The nurse was hospitalized and the attacker was detained on hooliganism charges, officials said.
In the southern city of Osh, police detained a man on suspicion of beating doctors at the regional hospital for psychiatry and narcology on February 4. The suspect allegedly targeted the doctors treating his brother, who was hospitalized a day before the attack, police said.
No reasons have been given for the attacks.
Baryktabasova said the violence is adding to the stress on underpaid and overworked Kyrgyz health-care workers in state-run medical facilities.
Most Kyrgyz who can’t afford private health care have to deal with long lines and relatively mediocre-quality care in state hospitals, which often have a chronic shortage of staff and lack modern equipment. The health-care sector is also notorious for widespread bribery.
New Measures Introduced
Bakyt Tologanov, the head of the National Hospital, said it is taking measures to ensure the staff’s safety following the attacks.
The hospital signed a contract with police to hire security personnel, he said. Also, panic buttons have been installed in all departments that allow the staff to alert security guards if they are in danger.
Doctors say the panic buttons are not enough to solve the problems as they don’t prevent the attacks.
“Besides, this button is functional only between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. I was attacked during the nightshift,” Taalaibekova said.
Taalaibekova’s attackers have not yet been brought to justice. Police had initially announced they had opened a probe into the attack. But they later told the doctor that the woman who beat her has fled to Russia and the case has been closed.
