South Asia

Tajikistan

Tajikistan, an independent country in Central Asia, has been undergoing profound political and economic changes since the break-up of the Soviet Union. Tourist facilities are undeveloped, and many goods and services taken for granted in other countries are unavailable. The capital is Dushanbe. After the civil war in 1992, sporadic fighting continued, largely in remote areas. Comprehensive peace accords were signed in June 1997, though some armed clashes involving renegade forces took place subsequently.

CRIME: Tajikistan is a country with a struggling economy and widespread unemployment. There have been a number of pickpocketings, muggings and armed robberies in the homes of persons perceived to have money, including foreigners.

MEDICAL FACILITIES: The medical infrastructure of Tajikistan is significantly below Western standards, with severe shortages of basic medical supplies, including disposable needles, anesthetics, and antibiotics. Many trained medical personnel left the country. Elderly travelers and those with pre-existing health problems may be at particular risk due to inadequate medical facilities.

Arthropodborne diseases:

• Japanese encephalitis
• Malaria from June to October, particulary in the southern border areas ( Khatlon region ) and centrally ( Dushanbe ), Western ( Gorno-Badakhshan ), and northern ( Leninabad region )

We recommend:

• Usage of long-sleeved shirt and long pants to wear whenever possible while outside, to prevent illnesses carried by insects
• Usage og insect repellent containing DEET (diethylmethyltoluamide), in 30%–35% strength for adults and 6%–10% for children. Unless you are staying in air-conditioned or well-screened housing
• Usage of a bed net impregnated with the insecticide permethrin.
• Staying and sleeping in air-conditioned houses

Water- and foodborne diseases:

• Amoebiasis
• Typhoid fever
• Brucellosis
• Cholora
• ETEC (E.coli)
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis E
• Giardiasis
• Echinococcosis

Other diseases:

• Hepatitis B
• Rabies

Vaccinations we recommend:

• Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG)
• Hepatitis B
• Rabies, if you might be exposed to wild or domestic animals through your work or recreation.
• Typhoid vaccination is particularly important because of the presence of S. typhi strains resistant to multiple antibiotics in this region.
• Tetanus-diphtheria
• Japanese encephalitis, only if you plan to visit rural areas for 4 weeks or more.

Stay healthy:

• Wash hands often with soap and water.
• Drink only boiled water, or water and carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans
• Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice cubes.
• Eat only thoroughly cooked food or fruits and vegetables you have peeled yourself. Remember: boil it, cook it, peel it, or forget it
• Protect yourself from insects by remaining in well-screened areas, using repellents (applied sparingly at 4-hour intervals) and permethrin-impregnated mosquito nets, and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants from dusk through dawn.
• Prevent fungal and parasitic infections, keep feet clean and dry, and do not go barefoot
• Do not travel at night
• Trafic accidents are frequent, be careful
• Always use latex condoms to reduce the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases
• Don’t eat food purchased from street vendors.
• Use chloroquine as malaria prophylaxis in risk areas

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