TURKMENISTAN: MINISTER OF HEALTH "BANISHED" TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 001414 SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2019 TAGS: PGOV SOCI KFLU TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: MINISTER OF HEALTH "BANISHED" TO OVERSEE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT Classified By: Charge Sylvia Reed Curran, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) USAID staff was told last week by a colleague at an international organization that the Minister of Healthcare and Medical Industry (MOHMI),Ata Serdarov, is sitting in Archman (110 km from Ashgabat) to supervise the reconstruction/renovation of the town,s sanatorium. The reported "banishment" is punishment for delaying the sanatorium's reconstruction. (NOTE: This explains, in part, President Berdimuhamedov's October 14 severe reprimand of Serdarov for "shortcomings at work, loose control over the construction of healthcare facilities, and failure to provide new healthcare facilities with highly qualified personnel." END NOTE.) According to our contact, all documents awaiting the Minister,s signature now are directed to Deputy Minister (Sanitary Epidemiological Service) Leyla Shamuradova. In most cases, she delays signing documents or simply sends them back unsigned, because she is not aware of details and is afraid of making mistakes. A separate MOHMI contact confirmed Shamuradova,s role and approach in connection with two recent diplomatic notes requesting approval for new USAID projects. Neither note resulted in approval, but instead generated additional follow-up to be done by USAID. ¶2. (C) COMMENT: In the midst of the current flu outbreak in Turkmenistan, a public health crisis that the government continues to deny, the absence of the Minister of Health is an unfortunate indication of the government's disfunctionality. However, given the government's absolute inability to publicly acknowledge any negative aspect of life in Turkmenistan, it's doubtful that the Minister's presence at the Ministry would make any difference. END COMMENT. CURRAN