Border clashes leave thousands homeless and in shock
MSF mobile team treating a patient in the village of Arka, in Leilek district of Batken region, Kyrgyzstan.
On a visit to the border area of Batken, a team from international medical organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières(MSF) saw houses, schools and clinics which had been burned to the ground.
On the Kyrgyz side, many of the displaced people were evacuated to Batken city, where they sought shelter in schools, mosques and hotels; others, especially from adjoining Leilek district, sheltered with host families. Some people have now returned to their villages but the majority are still displaced.
An Doctors Without Borders mobile medical team deployed to Batken city found many of the displaced people in a state of shock after the destruction of their homes and businesses. The team is providing them with basic healthcare, while three Doctors Without Borders psychologists specialising in mental trauma are providing individual counselling sessions. In the two weeks until 7 May, the Doctors Without Borders team in Batken city provided 363 consultations and 103 counselling sessions.
“Our work is aimed at preventing stress disorders among the displaced people,” says Doctors Without Borders psychologist Zhazgul Atagulova. “Most people show signs of distress, anxiety or acute stress reactions, while some have symptoms of chronic distress and depression, as border clashes and tensions are frequent in this region.”
As well as working in Batken city, Doctors Without Borders also plans to provide medical care in rural areas of Leilek district, with a focus on the villages around Kolundu and Samarkandek hospitals, where the health infrastructure will struggle to cope with an increased demand for services. In the coming days, Doctors Without Borders will deploy 18 medical staff, including doctors, psychologists and health promotion experts, to the region.
“Many people are traumatised and in shock,” says Kevin Coppock, Doctors Without Borders country director in Kyrgyzstan. “Both Batken and Leilek districts have seen significant damage. We are supporting health authorities in providing basic health services and psychosocial care to families affected by the conflict.”
Doctors Without Borders teams in Tajikistan have been following the developments closely and are in contact with the authorities ready to provide assistance in case of need