UN health workers saddle up to reach isolated patients

Earlier this year, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Kyrgyzstan was faced with the problem of how to deliver primary health care to remote communities in the central Naryn province. The answer was simple: put the health workers on horses. Now rural physicians and nurses working for the UN agency are a common site on horseback galloping out to help families who can't come to medical centres themselves. Just like the vehicles, UN horses carry the logo, as well as a specially adapted equipment bag to allow the rider to do everything from adminstering vaccinations to delivering babies. "Horses were bought to reach remote high pastures. It is impossible to reach them by car, especially in the winter when passes are closed. Therefore, the doctors are getting to them on horses - people need their help," head of the Naryn district family medicine centre, Daniyar Jumaev told IRIN. Dinara Pikeeva is one of the three local physicians in Emgek Tala village responsible for the health care of families living in the community and outlying settlements. Every week she sets out on Tulpar - her four-year-old UN horse - riding up to 120 km per day to visit patients who live in remote villages. "There is a site called "Tegerek" situated 15 km from our centre, up there in the mountains. They are cattle breeders working there. To help them we can only go there on horses," Pikeeva told IRIN.

A doctor in the central Kyrgyz province of Naryn visits patients in remote districts using a horse provided by UNFPA

Professionals like Pikeeva examine family members, especially pregnant women and babies. Their primary task is to identify health problems on a timely basis and either refer them to the nearest medical centre or provide help on the ground. UN horses help them to accomplish their mission. "Last month I evacuated a man suffering from acute liver problems, thanks to the horse," she added. "Under the UNFPA programme 35 horses were bought for physicians of central Kyrgyzstan. Twelve of them were given to Naryn, while the rest to Issyk-Kul and Talas provinces," Cholpon Asambaeva, a UNFPA human security trust fund project manager, told IRIN. The UNFPA finances the purchase of forage for the horses, but health staff tend to take care of the horses in special stables attached to rural health centres. The UN agency supports 29 visiting health workers in rural parts of Naryn province.