Sanatorium and resort sphere: Potential of development

At the extended session of the Cabinet of Ministers on July 3, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov ordered elative officials to organize summer holidays of children in thealth improving centres on proper level as well as recommended to take leave in Archman, Yily Suw sanatoriums and other health improvement centres of the country.

Always highlighting that care of people’s health is one of the core aspects of socially oriented state policy, Turkmen leader confirms it by practical activity including the activity for development of national sanatorium and resort industry, bringing of it to deserving positions in the world tourism.

Realization of certain measures in this direction, in particular significant financial resources invested to this sphere, support the establishment of efficient system of recreation of people, which is direct investment to the health of the nation, in other words to human capital of the country.

Work for improvement of sanatorium and resort sphere is carried out under the State Health Programme, which was developed by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. This year, it will be 25 years since the Programme has been adopted.

Equipment and facility modernization of the health protection system, strengthening of its role in formation of living environment supporting full reveal of creative potential of society and every individual are the main objectives in this document.

The practice of steadfast realization of this Programme demonstrates that issues of health protection of the population have stopped to be related to medical sphere only and transferred to the category of social, state and personal priorities, having covered all vectors of social and economic development.

On one hand, the policy of the Government in this sphere implies also a greater responsibility of everyone for his or her own health and, on another hand, the government provides all conditions, wide opportunities and significant support for this.

New and fundamentally reconstructed health resorts like Berzengi in Ashgabat, Archman and Yily Suw in Ahal Region, Farab in Lebap, Bayramaly in Mary Region, Mollakara in the western region, Dashoguz Sanatorium in the northern region as well as numerous children health improving centres are among the achievements of sanatorium and resort sphere.

All facilities are provided with modern equipment and provide high quality services not only to Turkmen citizens but also to foreign guests of our country, which allows speaking about their international status.

Health improvement of children of school and pre-school age, youth, strengthening of health of working-age population and elderly people, extension of longevity are the priorities of sanatorium and resort industry of Turkmenistan.

Being a part of overall structure of efficient improvement of people’s health, fundamentally new sanatorium and resort system made in the country captures the best from national and foreign practice.

The course toward international cooperation defined by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov in this sphere supports to provision of health resorts of Turkmenistan with modern specialized equipment from the world producers, which allows making full medical test and treatment.

National sanatorium practice actively applies such medical methods as cryotherapy, the exposure to cold air flow, halotherapy , the inhalation of small salt particles, ozone therapy, aroma therapy, stone therapy, the hot stone massage, hot sand treatment and many other methods.

The health resorts have all conditions for SPA-procedures, apply stretching of spinal cord; the hydrotherapy department has special rooms for treatment with mineral and galvanic baths, shower, underwater massage; they have gyms for physical training and sport exercises.

Staying in recreation facilities supports to engagement of the patients into healthy life style, which includes organization of eco-friendly favourable environment, basis of healthy food, physical training and active efficient leisure.

Libraries, internet cafes, phyto bars, restaurants, shops and other cultural and social facilities are at disposal of the guests. In addition, tours around surrounding attractions are offered.

Turkmenistan has significant recreational potential. Our country is famous with various mineral waters, numerous climate zones and sanatoriums, which have no analogues or exceeding the best similar facilities in the world by number of parameters.

Treatment and preventive facilities are mainly surrounded by beautiful landscape and architectural monuments as these blessed places have been selected for the settlements in the old times.

For example, Bayramaly Kidney Disease Sanatorium is one of the oldest and famous health resorts of international significance in Turkmenistan. The glory about this wonderful place in Turkmen land, which is filled with dryness, warmth and sun, has excellent treatment properties, have gone far beyond the borders of the country in the end of XIX century, back in 1887. Until today, this is the only centre of such kind in central Asia and Europe, where climate therapy is the main healing factor.

The health resort is located in big shady 44 hectare park with its distinguishing microclimate at the height of 242 above sea level in oasis that borders with the Karakum Desert on one side and Murgab River on another side the heart of the wind rose

Dry and hot weather in this area, where the temperature is more than 40 degrees in shadow in summer and 30 – 35 degrees in spring and autumn period with air humidity of 10 – 35 percent.

High insolation and evaporation rates from the surface, absence of precipitation from June to September and small amount in other months are as if designated by the nature itself for heath rehabilitation of people suffering from kidney, gastrointestinal tract , cardiovascular and nerve system diseases.

In the time free from medical procedures, the patients of the resort can choose the way to spend time – either to walk along shady park alleys, sit in the library, play tennis, volleyball or badminton, see screenplays of local theatre or to go on tour to the monuments of Ancient Merv.

Berzengi Sanatorium is located just seven and half kilometres south from Turkmen capital in picturesque foothills of Kopetdag Mountains. Healing properties of mineral spring are known from the ancient time.

The primeval nature of this place, fresh mountain air and healing water of local spring, which composition includes 24 microelements, make the most favourable conditions for prevention and healing of people from many diseases.

Archman and Yily Suw Sanatoriums, which are located in picturesque place in foothills of Kopetdag Mountains 130 kilometres to the west from Ashgabat are also famous far beyond Turkmenistan.

The legends about healing water of Archman were spoken from the old days. The resort itself was opened more than 100 years ago. After the reconstruction made at request of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, one of the oldest health resorts of the region has turned into modern sanatorium and resort centre that has capability to receive patients all year around providing comfortable conditions for staying with medical services on the level of the world standards.

Mineral water, which composition has 24 chemical elements, is the main healing factor of this recreation facility. The level of hydrogen sulphate in water puts it among healing and drinking water.

Unique properties of natural springs of Yily Suw Sanatorium have been studied thoroughly by specialists. 46 degrees water containing hydrogen sulphate is used for healing of various diseases related to musculoskeletal, peripheral nervous and endocrine system disorders.

Healing springs also give mineral water containing iodine and bromine, which is recommended for healing of gastrointestinal tract, gallbladder, liver, pancreas diseases and cold.

In his books, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov dedicated many lines to one of the most popular sanatoriums of the country Mollakara, which is similar to the famous Dead Sea in Israel by its healing properties. Today, many resorts of the world would be jealous with technical provision of the resort.

Doctors of the resort are engaged in scientific and research activity, in particular they study mechanisms of effect of mud and brine, healing resources of this place on human organism, methods of application of mud and electricity, massage, mechanic therapy and other.

We can speak endless about magic power and beneficial impact of natural factors and capabilities of resorts of the country – wonderful place giving health and joy of life to people.

Turkmenistan citizens have a big choice for holidays and health improvement not only in the period of summer holidays but in any time of the year also.

Integrated approach of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to solution of issues innovative development of resort industry allowed modernizing sanatorium base of the country in short period, taking it to new technological level and, hence, increasing efficiency of work in prevention of diseases and health improvement of the population.

Indeed, Turkmenistan is a healing region, which has enormous power for rehabilitation and support of health. Some sources are yet to be discovered while other to be studied for finding of their efficiency in healing of diseases.

These are various mineral springs in the depth of Koytendag, gorges of Syunt Hasardag, hot sands of Karakums, Badkhyz Plain and other places. Scientifically based study, wise use of natural and climate features and healing properties of various geographic zones will make Turkmenistan a leader of sanatorium and treatment tourism in the region and world.

Further realization of the approach to the operation of sanatorium and resort sphere as an industry having huge potential of growth can become a strong factor of development of Turkmen health protection system and national economy in general.

The Head of the State sets priority objectives to this sphere under improvement of health protection system aiming it at improvement of quality of entire social, living and cultural sphere of modern medical facilities, formation of advanced industry of rehabilitation, recreation activity as well as at scientific studies in the sphere of use of natural healing resources, implementation of new organizational and management methods t work of sanatoriums.