New department of Children’s Haematology and Oncology in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

The department of Children’s Haematology and Oncology in the National Center of Oncology at 92, Akhunbaeva in Bishkek is the only specialist department treating children with cancer and haematology diseases (including leukaemia) in Kyrgyzstan. 

 

Effective treatment started in 2000 with the provision of cytostatic drugs from German sponsors. As news of treatment availability has spread so more children are being diagnosed and treated.  The numbers have increased from 108 in 2000 to 234 in 2005; a number of children are also hospitalised in Osh, but without chemotherapy.  Bringing these children to Bishkek would increase the numbers to c.300 p.a.

 

The Bishkek department is still working in the same 10 rooms as 6 years ago.  This means that there are normally up to 8 people in a room, including mothers staying with children as carers.  This is a very hazardous situation: cross-infection is widespread, including tuberculosis and hepatitis, both by contaminated blood and nosocomial infection.  This tiny and inadequate department also suffers from water ingress and general dilapidation, leading to life-threatening fungal infections.  Children are dying from viruses and infections who might be saved in sterile modern conditions.

 

There are no surgical or intensive care facilities in the present department; there is no Day Hospital or outpatients department. With increasing patient numbers long-term follow-up and treatment will become a very substantial requirement.  There are no play or education facilities for patients and no family accommodation (families often live more than one day’s travelling distant).

 

The proposal

 

Greatly enlarged facilities are needed, including the provision of single treatment rooms for patients at high risk plus supporting facilities.  In short a modern onco-haematology department is needed.

 

A number of international hospitals and charities have been working with the Bishkek unit for the last 4 years, donating money for drugs and equipment and, where treatment is not possible in Kyrgyzstan, taking patients to Europe for treatment.  These partners have now co-operated to design a new department and are ready to provide advice and know-how on the construction, equipping and staff training for this much-needed new facility.

 

Italian hospital architects ABC Associati Vicenza have generously produced a 3-phase design plan providing for a controlled development of an existing part-finished building that has been gifted to the project by the  Government of the Kyrgyz Republic.

A copy of the project plan, developed by Lifeline with the Kyrgyz doctors can be downloaded at:

 

English:  http://www.humyo.com/45405/web%20POG/2010/KgE.pdf?a=DQyqnyi2D0E

 

Russian:  http://www.humyo.com/45405/web%20POG/2010/KgR.pdf?a=YLm3WF9GIfw