Indian envoy hands over hospital to Tajik authorities

New Delhi, Jun 11 (PTI) The Indian envoy to Tajikistan on Saturday handed over a ‘friendship hospital’ to the Tajik authorities, the Indian embassy in the energy-rich Central Asian country said.

“On behalf of the government of India, Ambassador of India to Tajikistan Viraj Singh handed over the India-Tajikistan Friendship Hospital (ITFH) to Deputy Defence Minister of Tajikistan Major General Shohiyon Abdusottor on June 11,” it said. “The entire complement of medical equipment, medicines, stores and support equipment, including an operation theatre, X-Ray machines, laboratories, critical care ambulances and administrative vehicles were also handed over to the Tajik side,” it said.

The Indian embassy said that the ITFH was renovated by the Government of India and inaugurated in October 2014 based on a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between both sides in January 2013. “This fully-fledged 50-bedded hospital has rendered free-of-cost valuable medical services for the last eight years to the armed forces and civilian populace of Tajikistan based on technical support and financial assistance from the government of India,” the embassy said in a statement.

It said that the ITFH has an array of medical specialities including ENT, surgery, gynaecology, medicine, paediatrics and dental departments. “It has provided medical support to more than 100,000 patients over these years including more than 2000 surgeries in the last two years,” the mission said.

“A team of Indian Army doctors and medical staff have provided various medical services to Tajik nationals and simultaneously trained numerous Tajik doctors and medical staff. Over 42 tons of ‘Made in India’ medicines have been sent to ITFH in the last eight years,” it added.