Born "different"
Is it safe for a kid with mental health illness to live in Kyrgyzstan?
This is Dana.
She is a 7-year-old girl who likes to draw magical creatures.
Dana is from Karakol, Issyk-Kul region.
Dana is a lit bit different child because her beautiful brain works differently.
At the age of 5 she was diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorder.
At the age of 5 she was diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorder.
It became extremely hard for Dana to make sense of the world. Everything was getting bigger, smaller, louder, quieter.
Doctors suggested to stay in a hospital at least once a year. They said that medication and psychotherapy are often effective at managing symptoms.
Doctors suggested to stay in a hospital at least once a year. They said that medication and psychotherapy are often effective at managing symptoms.
Dana is one of 6739 children who were diagnosed with different types of mental health disorders in Kyrgyzstan.
The most common diagnoses are:
Intellectual disability
Schizophrenia
Autism
.
Epileptic dementia
Specific personality disorder complicated by enuresis
Source: Ombudsman.kg
Almost a year ago, Dana and her mother traveled from Karakol to the Republican сhildren's psychiatric hospital in Ivanovka for the first time.
But it was the last time Dana
saw her mom.
A woman kissed her daughter and said that they will see each other soon.
Then, she returned to Karakol and never came back to visit her girl.
The only thing which reminded Dana of mom was her favorite toy - a teddy bear.
But it was the last time Dana
saw her mom.
A woman kissed her daughter and said that they will see each other soon.
Then, she returned to Karakol and never came back to visit her girl.
The only thing which reminded Dana of mom was her favorite toy - a teddy bear.
The Republican сhildren's psychiatric hospital is the only hospital in Kyrgyzstan for children with chronic mental illnesses.
The hospital was built in 1960, now it is in disrepair. There are also only 40 beds for children from 5 to 16 years old.
The hospital was built in 1960, now it is in disrepair. There are also only 40 beds for children from 5 to 16 years old.
After three months of staying in the Сhildren's psychiatric hospital, Dana was sent to the orphanage.
More than a half of patients in the Republican children's psychiatric hospital
are from orphanages.
Some of them were abandoned by their parents and relatives when they were hospitalized, like Dana.
are from orphanages.
Some of them were abandoned by their parents and relatives when they were hospitalized, like Dana.
"Even if these children know that the parents won't look after them, they still love their families and ask to come back home, " - Gulnara Abdiyeva, director of the Republican children's psychiatric hospital.
There is also a lack of child psychiatrists in the whole country.
153
Adult psychiatrists
14
Child psychiatrists
Only 2 work in the Republican children's psychiatric hospital, both of them are adult psychiatrists
Source: Ministry of Health, Ombudsman.kg
"Today mental health questions are not considered as priority directions in primary health care activities and are not included in the indicators of Family medicine center for assessing the quality and effectiveness of services", - Kubat Otorbaev, a former Ombudsman of the Kyrgyz Republic.
Dana is doing well today.
But sometimes other children and adults don't understand her because they are not aware of what it is like to be a child with mental health illness.
But sometimes other children and adults don't understand her because they are not aware of what it is like to be a child with mental health illness.
Author : Kamila Eshalieva
Data: Ministry of Health, Ombudsman.kg
Illustrations: Katt Strachan, Liz Meyer, Getty images
Data: Ministry of Health, Ombudsman.kg
Illustrations: Katt Strachan, Liz Meyer, Getty images
