70-year-old Aman Abdygulovich Abdygulov works as a TB doctor in the city of Kara-Kul, in the Jalal-Abad Region of Kyrgyzstan. Even though his specialty is not tuberculosis, but epidemiology, he has excellent results: thanks to the time and care which he allocates to each and every one of his patients, he is able to support them during their treatment and help them get cured. Dr. Abdygulov is a very dedicated, exemplary doctor, with a vocation to save lives. All patients who start TB treatment under his guidance are cured, which is very rare. From his 2018 cohort of patients with drug-resistant forms of tuberculosis, he has an exceptional success rate of 100%.

How does working with TB patients differ from working with other patients and other diseases?

The main particularity of a TB doctor’s work is that you have to gain patients’ trust, and constantly explain to them that they shouldn’t fear TB, that TB is curable. All of them need to be psychologically prepared. Some patients take treatment for up to two years, which is very difficult. And each time, you need to convince them to take their pills, and to talk about the side-effects they may be experiencing. Those who believe will get cured.

The most important thing is for patients to trust us, their doctors. And to eliminate stigma and discrimination. I also warn all of my colleagues and employees to very carefully treat patients. We help patients as much as we can, with travel expenses, or, for example, via the town hall, we were able to rent an apartment for some patients, so that they could live close to the hospital and in good conditions during treatment.

Unfortunately, there are very few young doctors in the TB sector. It is mostly retired doctors who are working. 

What kind of relation do you have with your patients?

My patients listen to me. And they do everything I say, without protesting. But taking treatment for two years is hard in any case. Some patients don’t come for a few days, or disappear. We look for them as like we can, and when we find them, we persuade them to take their treatment. In the end, nearly all of them are successfully cured.

There should only be friendly relations between patients and doctors. Our city is small, and I know everyone: the patients, and their parents as well. We are almost like relatives. Doctors and nurses must help patients. Many of them are left alone with their illness, and such patients have a hard time.

My patients are very kind as well. Our relations are based on trust. I have three different phone numbers, on all three operators, so that my patients can easily reach me. You constantly need to talk to them and convince them that this is not scary, that tuberculosis is curable.

What advice would you like to give to your colleagues and patients?

To help patients survive, the most important thing is to gain their trust. Patients need to take their pills at the same time every day. If they take treatment at 8 a.m., then they always need to take it at 8. This is very important. I would also like to tell doctors and nurses that there is no need to be afraid of patients, since, after a short time on treatment, they stop being infectious. We need to eliminate stigma and discrimination and to support patients, all together.