Prior to incorporating as a nonprofit organization, the very first project of then-Club Salom was to raise funding for Covid-19 relief in Tajikistan. Club Salom partnered with two medical facilities in Khujand, Tajikistan, a maternity clinic and a busy city polyclinic, to provide funding for personal protective equipment (PPE) for the staff to protect their safety and that of their patients during the pandemic. Club Salom also funded hot meals for the polyclinic staff during the lockdown period, which raised morale and reduced absenteeism.

As Salom Fund, we continue to work closely with Polyclinic #2 in Khujand, which serves a population of about 30,000 mostly middle and lower income patients. Since spring 2024, we have made substantial renovations and improvements to the clinic’s facilities, including:

  • A major facelift for both the interior and exterior of the building, including:
    • replastering and repainting exterior and interior walls
    • re-securing or replacing loose tiles on floors and stairs to reduce trip and slip hazards
    • re-tiling and repainting several bathrooms,
    • trimming nearby trees to remove hazards from dead branches
    • cleaning the fountain on the patio in front of the clinic of toxic chemicals from drivers washing oily rags in the water
    • and more
  • Installing railings on the front steps and porch of the clinic to provide assistance for elderly and disabled patients while going up the stairs and a secure stroller parking area for parents.
  • Installing plastic strip curtains on the clinic doors to reduce drafts and improve the comfort of the interior.
  • Replacing 40 windows in the corridors of the clinic in order to improve the comfort of waiting areas for patients. The windows were previously in such poor condition that many could not be freely opened or securely closed, resulting in a lack of ventilation in some areas and drafts in others. The corridors are now warmer in winter, cooler in summer, and brighter year-round.
  • Renovating the child psychologist and speech therapist’s offices to remove a hazardous broken mirror, replaster and repaint the walls, replace the windows and doors, update the old, under-powered HVAC unit with a modern one capable of providing adequate heating and cooling for the rooms, install new padded flooring to keep child patients safe, and add bright, colorful storage cubbies to replace an unsafe cabinet with a broken, glass-paned door.
  • Renovating the physical therapy department and a procedure cabinet with modern, energy-efficient windows, new flooring, new paint, and modern, energy-efficient HVAC units. Like the new windows in the corridor, these renovations greatly improved the comfort of the spaces for both patients and staff, especially in winter, when cold temperatures can make treatment more painful.
  • Repairing a broken X-ray machine and purchasing new EKG equipment and physical therapy equipment.
  • Purchasing a modern, energy-efficient HVAC units for the neonatal exam room. This allows the room to be kept at pleasant temperatures year-round to improve the comfort of the infants being examined, and reduce crying and stress.
  • Purchasing a modern, energy-efficient HVAC unit for the immunization department. This allows them to store the vaccines at proper temperatures year-round.
  • Building two new pediatric physical therapy rooms, renovating the former archive room of the clinic to make it into a new patient exam room, and installing modern, energy efficient HVAC units for the new rooms, enabling more patients to be seen in private rooms with heating and air conditioning.
  • Building a new receptionist desk to improve traffic flow in the clinic’s foyer.
  • Renovating the staff conference room to replace the uneven and unsafe floor.
  • Building a new kitchen and lounge area for staff.

Here is a before and after video showing some of the clinic renovations:

For the latest news about our work with Polyclinic #2, please visit the Polyclinic #2 tag.

In addition to our ongoing work with Polyclinic #2, Salom Fund also works with other clinics, hospitals, and medical facilities in Khujand to identify ways to improve healthcare delivery and access. Our recent projects have included:

  • Purchasing a modern, energy-efficient HVAC unit for the physical therapy department at a city hospital in Khujand, which previously had no working heating or air conditioning. Like our renovations at Polyclinic #2, this greatly increased the comfort of the facility for patients and staff, especially in winter, when cold temperatures previously caused problems for patients during treatment.
  • Purchasing new equipment for a pediatric eye clinic in Khujand.
  • and more

We plan to continue working with local medical professionals and administrators to find new opportunities to help meet the healthcare needs of the people of Northern Tajikistan.

For the latest news about our healthcare work, please visit the Healthcare tag.