WHO experts do not come to Turkmenistan after not invited to visit country

AKIPRESS.COM - WHO mission was supposed to visit Turkmenistan and Tajikistan last week, where not a single COVID-19 case was registered by that time. WHO experts arrived in Tajikistan on May 1. They were airlifted by the Somon Air plane from Germany. The plane also carried citizens of Tajikistan stranded in Germany and 3.6 tons of personal protective equipment, antiviral drugs, the Tajik service of RFE/RL reported. One day before arrival of the WHO team, Tajikistan confirmed 15 COVID-19 cases.
WHO experts did not reach Turkmenistan.
On April 22, the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan held a briefing with representatives of international organizations. Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov dismissed suspicions of concealment of the information about COVID-19 cases in the country and suggested that representatives of international organizations should visit the quarantine center, the Chronicles of Turkmenistan reported.
On April 29, WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr. Hans Kluge asked the head of the Russian consumer rights watchdog, Anna Popova, to provide assistance to WHO in arrangement of missions to Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, who closely follow recommendations of Russia, he said.
On May 3, Gundogar reported the WHO mission had not received the invitation from the Turkmen authorities.
"The prerequisite for work of the mission is invitation from the host government interested in WHO assistance. WHO received such invitation from Tajikistan, but it is impossible to negotiate with Turkmenistan as usually," a source in the UN agencies in Ashgabat said.
On May 3, head of the WHO Country Office in Turkmenistan Dr Paulina Marianna Karwowska told RIA Novosti she had visited two quarantine zones in Turkmenabat and Turkmenbashi.
When asked to evaluate the situation with COVID-19 in the country, Karwowska said WHO relies on the national healthcare authorities in this.
"We rely on healthcare authorities of Turkmenistan in informing us about confirmed cases, we have not been notified about such cases up to date," she said.