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Justice for Veterans: U.S. Acknowledges Cancer Cases Tied to Service at Uzbekistan’s K2 Base

Thousands of American veterans who served at Uzbekistan’s K2 airbase have reported rare cancers and diseases - but only now, more than two decades later, is the U.S. government taking steps to address their dire situation. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced plans to include bladder, urinary tract, and genitourinary cancers as conditions presumed to be linked to service at Uzbekistan’s Karshi-Khanabad airbase, known as K2. In 2001, the U.S. military moved into K2, a former Soviet airbase, to support a series of operations named “Enduring Freedom” which were purportedly aimed at tackling terrorism and Al-Qaeda in the wake of 9/11. However, in addition to the threat of terrorism, the troops faced another danger: the toxic environment. Reports from the base describe exposure to chemicals and radioactive materials. Soldiers recalled an underground “black bubble,” glowing lakes, and a chemical odor lingering in the air. [caption id="attachment_26149" align="aligncenter" width="634"] Image: Stronghold Freedom Foundation[/caption] The Karshi-Khanabad airbase was heavily used by the Soviet military during its operations in Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989, when it served as a site for producing, storing, and testing various weapons, including chemical weapons. The base also stored fuel, solvents, and other harmful substances. Additionally, it became a dumping ground for toxic waste, asbestos, enriched uranium, and other hazardous materials. Spills of these substances were frequent, leaving lasting environmental damage. Before the U.S. occupied K2, the destruction of Soviet-era missiles left some soil contaminated with low-level radioactive depleted uranium. The destruction of Soviet missiles was part of disarmament obligations under the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. A 2001 survey found traces that could be harmful if inhaled, and a 2002 assessment confirmed small amounts of uranium, identified as non-U.S. depleted uranium, outside Camp Stronghold Freedom’s perimeter. The affected area was covered with clean soil, fenced off, and marked as off-limits in November 2001. Furthermore, approximately 392 chemical compounds were found at the K2 Air Base. Thousands of military personnel who served in K2 suffered from severe illnesses, including rare forms of cancer, associated with their time at the base. However, over the years, the U.S. government and the VA have delayed recognition of the link between service in K2 and these health issues, leaving many veterans without adequate support. [caption id="attachment_26150" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Image: Stronghold Freedom Foundation[/caption] According to the Stronghold Freedom Foundation, K2 veterans are 500% more likely to get cancer than other veterans - 75% of U.S. service members deployed to Uzbekistan alone have developed at least one type of K2-related illness. On November 11, President Joe Biden announced an expansion of the PACT Act (Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act), a law he signed in August 2022 to improve healthcare for veterans exposed to toxins. President Biden stated that the act has already helped over a million veterans and their families access benefits. Under new efforts, the VA will add bladder cancer, ureter cancer, multiple myeloma, and certain types of leukemia to the list of presumptive conditions. This expansion applies...

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Kyrgyz Health Ministry Pushes for Laws to Shield Medics from Violence

The Kyrgyz Ministry of Health has called for amendments to the country’s criminal code to establish a legal framework protecting medical professionals from violence by citizens. The proposed measures aim to address a growing concern for the safety of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers. “Violence against medical workers is a serious problem that requires immediate action,” the ministry stated in its justification for the bill. “Doctors, nurses, and other staff face physical aggression from patients, relatives, or even bystanders. This threatens the health and lives of medical personnel and disrupts the normal functioning of healthcare institutions.” The ministry emphasized that threats or acts of physical harm create a stressful work environment, distract medical workers from their duties, and may lead to errors in diagnosing and treating patients. Proposed Penalties The Ministry of Health outlined specific punishments for various forms of violence and disrespect toward medical workers: • Minor harm: A fine of up to 100,000 KGS ($1,200), correctional labor for six months to one year, or deprivation of the right to hold certain positions. • Severe harm: A fine or imprisonment for one to three years. Additionally, the ministry seeks penalties for disrespectful or insulting behavior toward doctors. This includes demonstrating obscene gestures, verbal abuse, or indecent conduct, which could also result in fines or correctional labor. Growing Concerns Healthcare workers in Kyrgyzstan have long faced violence in their workplaces. After several incidents of attacks on doctors by patients and their relatives, the National Hospital implemented stricter security measures, including the installation of panic buttons and video surveillance cameras. Medical professionals have voiced the need for stronger protections to ensure a safer working environment. The proposed amendments aim to deter violence and foster greater respect for those who provide critical healthcare services.

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Uzbekistan Engages Elders in Poverty Alleviation Efforts

In a unique initiative, Uzbekistan is involving community elders as mentors to support poor families. This program, outlined in a decree by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, seeks to reduce poverty and enhance living conditions for disadvantaged populations. Empowering Through Mentorship Under the “From Poverty to Prosperity” program, elders will mentor families in agricultural practices, promoting self-sufficiency through farming. The initiative also assists families in renting mobile stores and obtaining equipment to start small businesses. In addition to economic support, the program encourages healthy living. Mentors will educate families about balanced diets, physical activity, and disease prevention. Elders will also engage citizens in community service and address child-rearing issues within impoverished households. This approach combines the efforts of the state, society, and active citizens, creating a unique model of community-driven poverty alleviation in Uzbekistan. Comprehensive Anti-Poverty Measures The “From Poverty to Prosperity” program aims to lift 500,000 people out of poverty by the end of 2024 and an additional 1 million in 2025. In September 2024, Mirziyoyev approved initiatives focused on entrepreneurship, vocational training, and infrastructure development in low-income areas. In 2025, $1.6 billion will be allocated to infrastructure projects, including installing water pumps and solar panels in 300 underdeveloped neighborhoods. These measures aim to unlock the potential of citizens while encouraging personal responsibility for wellbeing.

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Unified Digital Health System to Transform Kyrgyzstan’s Healthcare

The United Nations Office in Kyrgyzstan, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, has launched a program to create a unified digital health system in the country. The Ministry of Health stated that the digitization initiative aims to harmonize Kyrgyzstan’s healthcare system. By providing easier access to medical information, the program is expected to expedite the delivery of medical services, even to the most remote and underserved communities. As part of this effort, specialists will enhance government e-services and telemedicine. According to the UN, the project will require an investment of over $4 million, and is scheduled to run until 2027. “One of the key features of the program is to improve the digital health profile, giving citizens access to information about their health,” the Ministry of Health noted in a press release. The authorities plan to integrate a unified registry of citizen vaccinations, which currently holds approximately 3 million records, with a national electronic medical records platform. The program will also focus on supporting vulnerable groups. For example: • 120,000 people will receive digital disability certificates; and • 280,000 people will gain access to digital sick leave documentation, reducing hospital queues and making medical services faster and more convenient. Telemedicine will be expanded to 10 districts, offering medical consultations to more than 700,000 children under the age of 14. Additionally, 60 healthcare facilities will provide specialized care to 140,000 mothers and newborns, all connected to the unified electronic health records (EHR) platform. “This digital health initiative is an important step forward for Kyrgyzstan. By improving access to important medical information, we can make healthcare more efficient and improve outcomes for all,” said Bakyt Dzhangaziev, Deputy Minister for Digital Development of Kyrgyzstan. UN Resident Coordinator in Kyrgyzstan Antje Grave added: “Digital technologies are transforming our world, opening up new opportunities. It is necessary to bridge the digital divide between countries, promote the goals of sustainable development, and ensure that no one is left behind.” The program is being implemented with support from international organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the UN Population Fund, and the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

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Aging Kyrgyzstan: Economic Challenges and Empowering Seniors

According to the National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic, the country's population is aging quickly. Based on UN data, the agency predicts that the proportion of elderly people (65 and over) in Kyrgyzstan will significantly increase by 2030. According to the analysis, currently, 5.7% of the total population is elderly, and this figure may reach 8% by 2030. Speaking about the processes associated with an aging population, experts have highlighted social funds related to the payment of pensions, benefits, and other contributions to people who have finished their careers. Additionally, an aging population will produce fewer materials and public goods, and state tax revenues will decrease, which could lead to a decline in the country's standard of living. However, economist Kubanychbek Idinov sees this as a manageable problem. The 61-year-old believes that the increase in the average age is indicative of an improvement in Kyrgyzstan's standard of living. “The country's GDP is growing, and state budget spending on social projects is increasing. But we need to give pensioners more opportunities to work. This will be a great help to the revenue side of the budget. People who retire can work elsewhere. This allows them not to rely on their pensions alone, to have additional income,” Idinov told The Times of Central Asia. Most retirees in Kyrgyzstan continue to work. Idinov said they start small businesses or enterprises and pass on their experience to young people. According to official data, the country currently has about 150,000 working pensioners. “It is necessary at the state level to support trade unions' work in attracting retirees to work. It is possible to work at the level of local authorities. Then the issue of small pension growth will not be acute for people and the state,” Idinov said. On a related matter, Kyrgyz sociologists say that despite a slowdown, the country's population grew by almost half a million people (+7.8%) over the year. Kyrgyzstan remains the second-largest Central Asian country in terms of population growth after Tajikistan. “The increase in population, despite a slight decrease in the growth rate, is provided by the excess of births over deaths with a negative balance of external migration,” the report of the National Statistical Committee states. The large number of labor migrants returning home is also helping to combat the decrease in the number of able-bodied people. In 2007, experts from the UN Demography Department suggested evaluating countries as those with an old population if more than 7% of its citizens are over 65 years old.

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EBRD Supports Healthcare and Municipal Transport Projects in Kazakhstan

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has supported Kazakhstan's first healthcare sector public-private partnership (PPP) project, and provided finance for a tram fleet renewal program in the Kazakh city of Pavlodar. The EBRD arranged a €365 million financing package provided by six financial institutions to construct and operate a 630-bed multidisciplinary hospital in Kokshetau, northern Kazakhstan. The financing, including the EBRD’s €105 million loan, will be provided to a Kazakhstan-based subsidiary of Rönesans Holding of Turkey. The project will be co-financed through parallel loans totaling up to €260 million provided by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the German investment corporation DEG, the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), Proparco, a subsidiary of Agence Française de Développement, and the Development Bank of Kazakhstan (DBK). This first PPP in the healthcare sector of Kazakhstan and Central Asia will be a greenfield development of a 110,000 m2 facility, which will provide services to more than 730,000 people living in the city of Kokshetau and the broader region of Akmola. According to the PPP agreement, the private partner will be responsible for maintaining the facility and running a digital hospital information management system. At the same time, Turar Healthcare, a state-owned, non-profit national healthcare operator, will provide medical services. EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso, who was visiting Kazakhstan, commented: “The EBRD is pleased to join forces with our longstanding client Rönesans Holding to launch the first healthcare sector PPP in Kazakhstan and the region. PPPs are recognized as one of the most effective forms of long-term contractual relationships between the public and private sectors. They will help provide sustainable healthcare solutions, introduce new technologies, and improve the quality of medical services.” The EBRD has also announced support for a tram fleet modernization program in the north-eastern Kazakh city of Pavlodar. The EBRD’s loan of up to €10 million to Pavlodar tram management company will help the company acquire up to 25 energy-efficient trams. A €4 million loan from the Clean Technology Fund will co-finance the project. The tram company handles almost 40 percent of passenger traffic in the city, with a population of more than 360,000. Yet nearly 60 percent of the company’s fleet was commissioned in the 1970s and 1980s and requires urgent renewal. New battery-powered trams will have an autonomous driving range of up to 20 km, which means they can continue operating during electricity outages. The EBRD has invested €10 billion in 328 projects in Kazakhstan, most of which support private entrepreneurship.