She had to pass through mountains and walk past cemeteries.
Turmush correspondent spoke with Nurzhamal Mamytkazieva, who has dedicated nearly 40 years to medicine.
She was born on September 22, 1967, in the village of Kyzart in the Jumgal district of the Naryn region.
“After finishing 10 grades in Kyzart, I entered a medical college in Frunze and studied there for two years. I graduated from school in 1986 and from college in 1984,” she shared.
During her studies, Nurzhamal met her future husband at the cinema. After finishing her education, they got married, and she moved to Beishike. They have three children. In this village, she worked for four years at the hospital of the neighboring village of Boroldoy. The first year was extremely challenging, as everything came to a halt due to the collapse of the Soviet Union, and transportation ceased to operate. Every day she walked from Beishike to Boroldoy. This continued for a whole year. In March 1993, Nurzhamal was transferred to the FAP of the village of Beishike, where she still works today.
“My job is difficult but interesting. I love my profession despite all the challenges. Even though I am already retired, I continue to work because there is a shortage of young specialists. Throughout my career, I have received numerous awards and earned the trust of the local residents,” she said.
N. Mamytkazieva also shared memorable cases from her practice.
“In the early years of independence, the electricity was often cut off. The streets were dark, and the houses were cold. Once, I was called because a woman gave birth at home in the dark. I arrived and saw that there was no light in the house. The woman had just been brought inside, and there were 2-3 grandmothers around. Suddenly we realized that the baby was missing. We started searching and found out that she had given birth at the doorstep, and the grandmothers, distracted by the mother, had left the baby outside, wrapped in a fur coat. The baby was left outside and had turned blue from the cold. We cut the umbilical cord and placed him on his mother’s chest. Gradually, he began to turn pink, and I was happy that I was able to save him,” she recalled.
“Another case involved a woman who gave birth to five girls. When she had her sixth child, I came to help. She gave birth successfully, and I informed her husband: ‘Congratulations, you have a son!’ He was thrilled and generously thanked me. Later, this woman often called and invited me over, telling me how their son was growing. I visited them frequently, as if I had spent a whole year with this family, since the boy was very cherished,” Nurzhamal added.
The challenging days of N. Mamytkazieva in the early years of independence
“In the early years of independence, the hospital was far away, and the ambulance could not arrive quickly. There were many elderly people in the village who often fell ill. I cared for the seriously ill and sometimes stayed overnight with them, as if I left, they would immediately call for me again. I knew who had what medications and would say, ‘So-and-so has the needed medicine in the cupboard—bring it.’ At that time, medications were somewhat communal: one person had them, another did not. The situation was difficult, and the elderly people were waiting for my help. I made rounds in the morning and evening, and for those who were on the brink, I tried to help in their last moments of life.
I saw how some patients died before my eyes, and sometimes I ‘treated’ the elderly simply by measuring their blood pressure—they felt better. Sometimes, a kind word was enough. I always keep my phone handy and am ready to help at any time,” Nurzhamal recounted.
Fortunately, the situation has improved now: hospitals and FAPs operate more efficiently. Qualified specialists work in the district, providing first aid and referring patients to district or city hospitals in more serious cases.
In my free time, I love to read medical books. I am always interested in learning new things,” she concluded.
