The Human Rights Platform of the Civil Movement “DAYANÇ / Turkmenistan” previously addressed international institutions and diplomatic missions with information about serious problems in Turkmenistan’s healthcare system, particularly affecting rural areas and small towns. In our appeal, we highlighted numerous complaints from citizens regarding the lack of ambulances, shortages of medicines, medical equipment, and qualified medical personnel. Special attention was drawn to the situation in rural regions, where residents are often left without timely medical assistance. In many settlements, there are insufficient conditions for providing emergency care, and the number of available ambulances is extremely limited. As a result, people are often forced to find transportation on their own in order to bring patients to district or regional hospitals, which may take several hours and can sometimes cost human lives. Following the review of our appeal, the European External Action Service (EEAS) sent an official response from Brussels, dated 11 March 2026. In its letter, representatives of the European Union emphasized that access to healthcare is a fundamental human right protected under international law. In particular, the response refers to Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which recognizes the right to medical care, as well as Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to which Turkmenistan is a state party. The European Union also noted that human rights issues, including the right to health, are regularly raised in dialogues with partner countries, including Turkmenistan. Furthermore, the letter stresses the importance of Turkmenistan’s cooperation with UN human rights mechanisms, including engagement with the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health, and the need to facilitate independent monitoring where appropriate. The response also states that the information provided by the Human Rights Platform DAYANÇ will be taken into account in the European Union’s ongoing assessments. In addition, the European side referred to a €10 million joint EU–WHO project (2022–2026) aimed at strengthening healthcare systems in Central Asian countries by improving routine immunization programs, including HPV and COVID-19 vaccination, and by enhancing digital health data systems for disease surveillance. The Human Rights Platform of the Civil Movement “DAYANÇ / Turkmenistan” will continue to inform the international community about the real situation in the healthcare sector and the problems that citizens of Turkmenistan face on a daily basis. We believe that access to quality medical care must not depend on where a person lives, and residents of rural areas have the same right to life and health as those living in major cities.
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