During a week
I’ve been conducting with people with an open form of Tuberculosis [TB] in
Kyrgyzstan to make the final photoproject for my Photography class at AUCA. Honestly, I was afraid to make this photo project in the beginning.
I was afraid of patients’ reaction that I’m shooting them because almost all of
them were prisoners, drug addicts, alcoholics. But, I was very surprised of how
patient and kind they all were to me and to my camera.
Most of them have no relatives, no friends, no identification documents.
I would like to show you how people with TB
infection live in Kyrgyzstan.
"Tuberculosis in Kyrgyzstan"
Nurse is holding sodium of chloride
Being TB infected is…everyday injections:
A random Kyrgyz guy on his regular procedure of taking injections
Being
TB infected is taking lots of pills
A hand of a patient. Patients with an open form of Tuberculosis are taking 4 pills two times per day.
Being TB infected is losing weight:
Just
a random patient is taking an X-ray; he became a TB infected in prison, 7
years ago.
Being TB infected is becoming a skeleton:
A
doctor is looking at X-ray photo.
This
is Gulmira, 35, homeless. She left with no relatives, no friends. TB/HIV [ВИЧ] infected. The only her visitors are nurses.
Being TB infected is having only a hope:
Victor, 42, two month at the hospital, one more
left.
A
man who didn’t want to introduce himself and I didn’t ask. He is getting worse
every day.
Woman Victoria, 43, homeless, TB /HIV infected.
An alcoholic.
Being TB infected is not being able to move:
Aidar, 39,
has an-open form of TB. He barely can move. He has been infected for two years
ago. Drugs are not helping anymore.
Being TB infected is having many limitations in your
life:
Oleg, 27. Drug
addicted, has an-open form of TB. He was thinking of his future life. And, he
has a huge hope to get better soon.
1 Tursunaly,
55, got TB infected after prison, drug addicted. He has relatives but they do
not visit him often.
Being TB infected is being attached in a hospital:
1 Yuriy,
31, homeless, drug addicted since 2010. He has no relatives, no friends, and no
documents. His home is a hospital.
Being TB infected is coughing constantly:
Vitaliy,
45, homeless, an alcoholic. Infected since 2008. He cannot move after the car
crush. No family, no documents. He has no a piece of bone of his head after the
car crush.
Being TB infected is living between life and death:
A
patient, 35, TB/HIV infected. He had a high temperature for almost 4 days.
Drugs are not helping. Nurse is checking him on the sign of life.
Also, this photoproject is available on Prezi.com: http://prezi.com/fwqkwiqvioob/zhypar-chotonova/
P.S. I will have a photo exibition at AUCA (main hall, "Bravo" cafeteria) in March - on the World Day of Tuberculosis.
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Zhypar Chotonova ©
