The photographer showed what life is like for sick people.
March 24 is world day against tuberculosis — that was the day when in 1882 the German microbiologist Robert Koch announced the discovery made them Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis annually kills 1.6 million people, most of whom live in developing countries.
Photographs by Misha Friedman on the problem of tuberculosis — the bleak black-and-white views on the outgoing of life. The visual style is matched perfectly. “Most of these people are already dead. My pictures they are not very helpful. Perhaps they will help people in the future. Will be used to raise funds… But the ones I photographed, did not help, said Friedman, looking at their pictures. — It is very hard to be just a photographer”.
In 2008, while in Gudermes, Friedman was filming a project about tuberculosis and that’s when I realized that this topic is very important. Received several grants (including the award for “Photos that will stop tuberculosis”), Friedman went to Uzbekistan with the organization “Doctors without borders”. Because, in his words, “reporters can’t be trusted. In your opinion who patients trust? Those who care about them. Trust can be to only those who come with these people”.
Friedman, representing the Paris edition of the Cosmos, spent almost five years on the project “Tuberculosis in the former Soviet Union.” All photos were taken and a grainy black and white to smooth the difference between places where they were made. Seen in these five years, Friedman has described: “In General the situation is catastrophic. Everywhere.”
Uzbekistan. Chamber, where live five male patients with a type of TB that is not treatable with basic drugs.
Uzbekistan. 62-year-old Orobi, sick with tuberculosis, spent in different hospitals for 4 years.
Russia. Addicts in line to receive syringes and HIV testing, St. Petersburg.
Uzbekistan. From Oleg at age 41 no family left, and the rest of his life he spends in the hospital alone. His only visitors are the nurses and social workers.
Russia. One of the patients watching the weigh-in another hospital in St. Petersburg.
Ukraine. 31-year-old drug addict Nicholas contracted tuberculosis, being HIV-positive in prison. He died a few weeks after this picture was made.
Uzbekistan. 19-year-old Islambek, whose brother had recently recovered from tuberculosis. Doctors recently discovered that Islambek can not be cured. He died two months later, his brother left to live.
Ukraine. The patient, a TB patient, doing x-rays.
Uzbekistan. Dolls used by therapists from the organization “Doctors without borders”.
Uzbekistan. Employee organization “Doctors without borders” removes the patient for a walk. In Nukus.
Russia. Due to refurbishment of the hospital in Gudermes all patients were sent home. All but the 24-year-old Adam, who is too weak.
Uzbekistan. Because of the prejudices associated with tuberculosis, many patients want to hide their faces. In Nukus.
Uzbekistan. 19-year-old Islambek in the hospital. His mother died from tuberculosis, he is also infected.
The gurney in the TB dispensary in Nazran, Ingushetia.
Russia. 37-year-old Pauline was suffering from malnutrition and many diseases, including tuberculosis, HIV and hepatitis C.
Ukraine. In TB clinic, the patient helps nurses to ship the body of Andrew, who died half an hour ago.
Uzbekistan. The patient is in the hospital in Nukus is too weak to play table tennis, like most here.
Ukraine. The doctor prepares the patient for rentgenoterapii in one of the clinics.
Ukraine. Dr. the body of the recently deceased Andrew.
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