Travel Medicine Consultant Focused
on Central Asia and the Caucasus
 Q: What is your activity in Uzbekistan?
A: I am an international health consultant, based in Canada, focused on population health issues of Central Asia and the Caucasus.! am here to help medical institutes develop health information management system. Besides, I am visiting high-quality medical centers in Uzbekistan and neighboring countries to identify suitable ones for diagnosis and treatment of ill tourists.
Q: When was you firs visit to Central Asia?
A: It was more than 4 years ago. Since then, I have been visiting this region regularly.
Q: Where do you stay in Uzbekistan, and where is your favoriite place to stay?
A: I stay in hotel or private houses. My favourite hotel is BUMI International in Tashkent.
Q: Do you communicate with local people in our bazaars and supermarkets?
A: Yes, of course. 1 know Uzbek, Tajik and some Russian. I always try to speak with local people in their native language.
Q: Does medical system in Central Asia differ from the Western one?
A: The health care system of post-Soviet countries significantly differs from those of Western countries. I can say that there are many good specialists here some of whom familiar with western medical system. In general, it is difficult for a traveller to find the right primary care medical centre for diagnosis and treatment purposes. The main challenge for Central Asia and the Caucasus is promotion of modern concept of public health and implementation of public health surveillance and information management systems. For instance, there is no major contribution from non-governmental organizations in the exchange of information on emerging public health problems in the entire region. Therefore, the only sources of information for tourists are external ones such as the Website of Department of State. Tourists are usually concerned about reliability of available public health information. They are not sure if there is a well-functioning public health system in the region. The solution is visitor reassurance through media briefings by western health care professionals who are working in the region. Moreover, educational events for local health professionals as well as representatives of foreign missions on issues such as immunization, communicable diseases and environmental health problems will be very useful.
Q: Can you give us some information about local medical centers where you have visited?
A: Tashkent International Medical Clinic has two onsite American-licensed family doctors. In some instances, this clinic consults with two major institutions in the city, the Institute of emergency medicine, which has modern diagnostic equipment, and the Institute of Surgery, which has several surgeons many of whom familiar with advanced surgical techniques.
Q: What advice do you have for tourists visiting Central Asia, what they should do and what they shouldn't?
A: The region is the heart of the ancient Silk Road. It has been exposed to different cultures for centuries. There are a variety of dishes, both European and Asian, available in restaurants. Overall, there is no particular restriction for tourists in terms of food safety in the region. A tourist should follow the same recommendations as those for other Asian countries such as China. It is recommended that bottled water be consumed. I also advise tourists to purchase cheese only when it is produced under inspection in a well-known factory.
Q: What do you personally prefer in local cuisine?
A: I like everything: bread, laghmon, beshbarmak, etc. I often miss kazt (horse meat sausage) in North America. There have been cases of stomach problem after eating melon and watermelon in the summer. This is believed to be due to overuse of fertilizers in the farms. Fruit juice could be alternative source of vitamins for tourists. I hope we can see a variety of fresh (not from concentrate) juice in Central Asia in the nearfuture.
Q: What is your opinion about traditional medicine of Central Asia?
A: I represent Avicenna International Foundation in North America. I believe there has been significant progress in identifying and commercializing natural medicinal preparations in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. There is even potential for organizing tours for natural therapy purposes all over Central Asia and the Caucasus.
Q: What is your impression from Central Asia?
A: I love Central Asia. Central Asia is the cradle of multiculturalism.
Dr. Artaman can be reached at median@usa.net |
