Progres Foundation sent this letter to the IsDB on September 1, 2025. We have not received the answers to our questions raised in the letter.ย
September 1, 2025
Dear Mr. Ahmad Abu Ghazaleh,
Hope this email finds you well.
We, as the Progres Foundation team, are writing to inquire about the recent US$156.3 million financing (instalment sale, loan, grant) approved by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to Turkmenistan to build three cancer treatment facilities in Balkanabat, Turkmenabat, and Mary cities that will serve 11,750 patients. Turkmenistan will also receive a development loan of US$80 million from the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) toward equipping these three tumor and cancer treatment facilities.
This is a promising project with potential to improve the quality of life of many Turkmens living with cancer, decrease incidence of cancer and cancer related deaths. Cancerย is one of the leading non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Turkmenistan, alongside cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Though national data is limited, available evidence indicates cancer is a serious and growing health problem. We have questions which we were unable to find answers online, neither through the website of the IsDB, SFD nor the Ministry of Health in Turkmenistan. We could not find any publicly available project information.
In particular, we would like to ask for additional and detailed information:
- What is this type of financing? Is it a loan or grant to the government of Turkmenistan?
- Where could we find detailed information and documents related to the project including detailed project description, needs assessment, project duration, conditions for the financing, government agencies and other actors involved in implementing the project?
- Where could we find a needs assessment for this investment?
- The government does not share publicly cancer related stats, what statistics and data do you use for the needs assessment?
- How do you plan to address the shortage of medical personnel in Turkmenistan? What are your plans to train doctors?
- What are the plans to put in place treatment protocols, a standardized plan that outlines how a specific type or stage of cancer should be treated? How will you encourage and support doctors to use the latest clinical evidence and best practices?
- Who will take responsibility for developing treatment protocols, training specialists, tracking diagnosis and treatment outcomes and initiatives to increase early diagnosis and treatment?
- One of the objectives of IsDB’s Civil Society Engagement Policy is to improve direct assistance to local communities through CSOs. So how exactly does the IsDB plan to work with civil society in Turkmenistan to help cancer patients? And which specific CSOs the Bank plans to work with since there is no organization specifically working on public health issues including cancer?
While building healthcare facilities equipped with the latest technology is important, Turkmenistan urgently needs qualified specialists to run these facilities. Data from 2019 (ICCP) shows that per 10,000 cancer patients the number of radiation oncologists, medical physicists, radiologists, nuclear medicine physicians and medical and pathology lab scientists is not available – either the data is missing or there are no specialists available in the country.
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SUPPORT OUR WORKMoreover, Turkmenistan currently lacks specialized and continued medical education to train necessary specialists in diagnosing and treating various types of cancer. Doctors and health care professionals in Turkmenistan should have access to the latest research, data and best practices. It might be beneficial to attract and collaborate with relevant research institutions and leading cancer treatment centers in the region.
It would be helpful for us to understand the role played by the IsDB and SFD and if these organizations will solely provide the financing or also contribute to setting up the cancer treatment practices, training specialists, and developing treatment protocols.
We appreciate your time and willingness to help us answer these questions.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Aynabat Yaylymova
Progres Foundation
Executive Director
Progres Foundation supports progressive initiatives contributing to understanding social realities and shaping a new vision and approaches to sustainable human development in Turkmenistan. Progres Foundation operates two platforms: Saglyk.org works to improve public health literacy in Turkmenistan. Progres.online is an online analytical journal that promotes a nuanced understanding of the societal trends in Turkmenistan by providing quality research and policy analysis.
