2001 Press Releases

USAID Opens Tuberculosis Laboratory in Turkmenbashy

Aug. 3, 2001

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) together with Turkmenistan's Ministry of Health is pleased to announce the opening of a tuberculosis laboratory in Turkmenbashy. The Rayon Tuberculosis Laboratory, opened August 1, 2001, will be located in the TB Department of the City Multiprofile Hospital of Turkmenbashy. This is the second laboratory of its kind in Turkmenistan. The project is being implemented by USAID partners Project Hope and the Center for Disease Control in cooperation with the Tuberculosis Department of Turkmenbashy.

This laboratory responds to a critical need in Turkmenistan to provide health care to people affected by tuberculosis. Last year, the Ministry of Health and USAID formally agreed to implement a short course on treatment. This led to the establishment of the first pilot laboratory in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.

Project Hope will provide the laboratory equipment and supplies, as well as office equipment for the Learning Center. Project Hope also supplied TB prevention drugs for 250 patients and clinical skills training for TB physicians and family practitioners of Turkmenbashy City Polyclinic. The Center for Disease Control will provide training of the laboratory technicians from the TB Department of Turkmenbashy.