Translated with AI
Tajikistan's Sughd region has reported a serious shortage of psychiatrists, according to Akmaljon Kamolov, chief physician of the region's Mental Health Center.
According to him, the problem is systemic and is particularly acute in the Shakhristan, Spitamen, Gorno-Matchinsky, and Ayni districts.
According to data, only 40 of the 72 designated positions are filled, indicating a significant staffing shortage. The situation is further complicated by age: approximately half of the current specialists have already reached retirement age, increasing the risk of further staffing shortages.
Due to a shortage of specialized specialists in some cities and districts, neurologists are being brought in to provide psychiatric care. As Kamolov noted, this practice partially meets the needs of the population, but cannot fully replace qualified psychiatric care.
The issue of training, attracting and retaining young specialists remains one of the key challenges for the region's mental health system.
To address this issue, the Department of Health and Social Protection of the Population of the Sughd Region is taking a number of measures aimed at improving staffing, including implementing measures to attract new specialists.
In addition, an official appeal was sent to the Avicenna Tajik State Medical University to attract young professionals to the region and strengthen cooperation to provide qualified specialists to the region's medical institutions.
It is noted that there are eight psychiatric hospitals in the Sughd region providing specialized medical care to the population. These institutions diagnose, treat, and care for patients with mental disorders.
