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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Kyrgyzstan
Index
The main causes of adult deaths in Kyrgyzstan are, in order of
occurrence, cardiovascular conditions, respiratory infections, and
accidents (see table 5, Appendix). Sexually transmitted diseases
reportedly are very low in incidence; only five cases of acquired immune
deficiency syndrome (AIDS) were recorded in 1992. In the early 1990s,
major health hazards have been posed by growing shortages of chlorine to
purify water supplies and the increasing danger of typhus outbreaks
resulting from the closure of most of the country's public baths. In 1993
Kyrgyzstan suffered increasing cases of hepatitis and gastrointestinal
infections, especially in the southern provinces of Osh and Jalal-Abad.
The cause of such infections is believed to be the use of open water
supplies contaminated by livestock and improper disposal of waste (see
Environmental Problems, this ch.). Although adults traditionally consume
most of their water in the form of boiled tea, children have greater
access to untreated water and foods.
Additional stress is placed on the population by the rising cost of
food, which has reduced the quality and quantity of most people's diets.
In 1993 meat consumption was reported to have dropped by 20 percent since
1990, intake of milk products by 30 percent, and consumption of fish
(which was imported in the Soviet period) by 70 percent. The average
caloric intake was reported to have decreased by about 12 percent since
1990. There are also frequent reports of deaths or injuries caused by
tainted or falsely labeled food and drink, particularly alcoholic
beverages, which are widely sold by extralegal private concerns. The
rising cost of energy has meant insufficient heat for many apartments and
public buildings. Naryn Province, the coldest and most remote part of the
country, has been particularly affected. In that region, many buildings
lack central heating, and residents have been forced to devise homemade
stoves vented directly out the windows. In addition, the availability and
range of ambulance services have been restricted severely by fuel
shortages.
Data as of March 1996
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