Clinic "Ibn Sina"

   International Clinic "Ibn Sina" started its activities in September 2009, with a high humane purpose to help the population with the participation of experienced doctors from Iran, Germany, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan.  The opening of the Clinic  was attended by President of the Republic of Tajikistan Rahmon Emomaly and Ambassador of Iran  the Republic of  Tajikistan Dr. Aly-Asari Sherdust.

The clinic is located in the center of Dushanbe – the capital of  Tajikistan. With the beginning

of its activities (2009-2012.), the Clinic "Ibn Sina" 17 941 citizen took medical advice  and  2 872 people were hospitalized.

They carried out a total of 1582 operations, including: cardiac-334, urological – 1050 among which   776 operations were accomplished by endourological method and 196 operations - by   traditional (open) method. Among 61 general surgical operation carried out in the Clinic   45 are endosurgical operations  and 16 operations  were carried out  by traditional method. Since the opening of Stomatology Department  (2011), the have carried out 29 transactions. The Department of Gynecology, for two years, they have accomplished 104 transactions. In the clinic they have carried out  1145 angiographic studies and 265 angioplasty operations. Also carried out 15 plastic operations were accomplished.

Clinic "Ibn Sina" declares itself

Recently  a Conference of Cardiology and Urology, where the Iranian experts briefed their Tajik counterparts with the latest achievements of medicine was held. The conference was held by a private clinic "Avicenna"  which is itself, in fact, is a factor of progress in the field of medicine, and that is encouraging, it is here in Tajikistan.

Established in 2009, the Clinic "Ibn Sina" is a joint international project. In general, the Clinic is focused on treatment of patients with cardiac and urological diseases. Here the most modern and sophisticated equipment is used. For example, the Clinic has angiographic equipment, allowing to accurately identify the most complex pathology of the heart and blood vessels. Other types of diagnosis can only show common disease in humans, but in contrast to angiography, they cannot provide the most accurate diagnosis. This allows the clinic doctors to treat more effectively. Also, with this equipment, you can perform some kinds of relatively simple kinds of operations. In particular, it allows the treatment of diseases of the heart and blood vessels with minimally invasive methods, ie by small surgical intervention. The  leading specialist of the Cardiology Department of the   Clinic is an Iranian expert, Professor Somi Aldoboni who was  the first to hold in Tajikistan the angioplasty of the aorta and great vessels.  For the first time in the history of the Tajik Medicine ASD closure without surgery was carried out. In addition, Dr. Aldoboni implemented the early revascularization (restoration of patency of the blood vessels) of the heart. This treatment includes stent placement and balloon angioplasty, which can significantly reduce the death rate among people with coronary heart disease.

The Clinic also carries out complex operations, which until recently had been the prerogative of the developed countries. More details about them told Clinic heart surgeon Ehson Karimov:

"Our Clinic carries out a variety of operations in the field of surgery. However, it should be noted that in Tajikistan  the operations  on the heart were performed before  but in a certain period of time  this practice has been lost. Previously, the development of cardiac surgery in the country was in the 80s of the last century. In the former USSRT this branch of the medicine was given  due attention, as it was believed that the developed cardio office in the country is an indication of the level of medicine in general. Industry was at level comparable to the European one. With the disintegration of the Union, ceased funding, and in consequence, the development of the industry. Dramatically  mortality in these patients increased. By 2000, the situation began to stabilize in the country  and began to perform heart surgery. However, there was a clear patient selection. Typically, they treated patients with simple pathology and such areas  as coronary surgery and surgery of the heart vessels were practically absent, for there was no experience, no specialists or related equipment. But all this was before the Clinic was open. The start of the functioning of the Clinic  was just the first step in the surgery of the heart vessels. For our country this is   great progress. "

According to the doctor, the surgery of the heart is divided into general and nursery ones. In the field of pediatric surgery they carry out in early childhood and in a more adult. Previously, transactions at an early age were almost not made.

   The achievements of adult surgery may include the following operations:

- Surgical with  valves pathology. Previously, they  only carried out  expansion of  valve, with its restriction, or replacement of a valve. Clinic doctors have experience in performing the operation on three valves of the heart: the replacement of two valves with plastic of the third valve or replacing a valve with  plastic of two other  valves. Prior to this, in the Republic of such operations are not carried out;

- Operations on large vessels. In Tajikistan, for the first time, they carried out the Bental operation  in the Clinic “Ibn Sina”.During  this operation the  replacing the ascending aortic arch and aortic valve was accomplished;

- Surgery for aortic aneurysms;

- For the first time the operation to replace the aortic arch and the stent establishment was carried out;

- They are planning to introduce arrhythmia surgery (surgery of heart rhythm disturbances);

- Surgery for chronic heart failure.

The last two types of surgery are a new achievement not only for physicians for the  hospital Ibn Sina but all over the world "

Also Ehson Karitmov noted that all these operations are quite complex and even in Europe, and their implementation is an indicator of high level of cardiac surgery.

"It should be noted that, unlike in Europe, our patients usually have more complex forms of disease, as in Europe, these diseases are detected at an early stage. In our country the sick takes medical advice when being  in a very serious condition. However, we turn to those operations and we have a very good performance. For example, in the world  5% mortality during such operations are allowed, in Europe it is 6.8%, and  in our Clinic   it is 4.8% "

Our  Clinic could achieve such results summarizing the experience of specialists in different countries. Here is the practice of leading experts of Iran, Japan, and Russia, which introduces new technologies in clinical cardiac surgery industry.

Expensive, but it must be kept

The Clinic, as it provides a form of property, is paid. If we compare the cost of services to the level of life in our country  such treatment is not  available for every citizen. But the prices of our Clinic are very inferior in comparison   with the prices of other countries/.

According to the founderof the  Clinic Abdukhalil Khalikov, if it were possible to set lower rates, it certainly would have been done. The Clinic  works without much profit.

"Our Clinic does not have any income. Everything that we make now goes to maintenance the Clinic, so we have no way to reduce tariffs. We invite the experts from abroad so that our experts are not prepared themselves to perform such procedures, and this is when in their own countries they   would receive ten times more for similar operations, but they are motivated by altruism, so they work in our Clinic . But even so, we are still struggling to contain the Clinic, but we do  all possible and impossible. The main thing for us is  that it can perform ".

According to A.Kholiko we have to  save the Clinic  because the population  needs  such healthcare. At the same time, A. Khalikov agrees that few can afford the treatment in the Clinic.

"We do see that not everyone has such financial opportunities. A few times we performed free operations for poor people, we could not refuse them. But on the other hand, this practice can bring a clinic before the crash. For all that we have in the Clinic are purchased abroad, with our own money, and without any support. Since January this year there was the elimination of customs duties and VAT on import of drugs and now we are to buy more expensive drugs. The equipment is also subject to high taxes. But, on the other hand, we want our clinic to be available for our citizens. It would be nice if the state supports such people and  set grants for them which could take the form of tax breaks for some of our clinics or even in any way, no matter what, as long as was the support of such patients to treatment was available for them .