“They told me they would resolve the issue if I deleted the video” — Musulmon Yunusov announced that he faced pressure after his appeal regarding a case of corruption

“They told me that if I deleted the video, they would resolve the problem” — Musulmon Yunusov said he faced pressure after his appeal regarding a case of corruption

Theater and film actor Musulmonbek Yunusov gave an interview to the “Chotki TV” YouTube channel. During the conversation, he spoke about the difficulties in registering his child with a disability and the pressure he faced after his video appeal on social media.

“My daughter with a disability receives treatment for 20 days every month”

— In 2022, my third child, Maryamxon, was born prematurely. Later we found out that she also has a disability. She was diagnosed with ICP (Infantile Cerebral Palsy), GDD (Global Developmental Delay), and spasticity. With this, the child lags behind in development, cannot walk, and only lies down. Two years ago, we registered our daughter for disability. After this period expires, she is registered for disability again. Then, this procedure continues until the age of 18.

There is a bit of running around in this process. People who have a person with a disability know very well where to go, to whom to show papers, and in what kind of queue to stand and wait. We also did not say “I am an artist, three or four people recognize me,” and even though the child suffered in the heat, we carried her and waited for our turn.

Having gone through all the processes, we arrived at the Sergeli District Medical and Social Expert Commission. Here they examined our daughter and said that after two or three days, an SMS would be sent to our phone or they would call. After that, we left.

We receive treatment for our child for 20 days a month. We rest for 10 days in between and start treatment again. The next day, when my wife brought our daughter for treatment, they called her and asked whether the phone's volume was set to loud mode or not, and whether those around could hear my wife's voice. By law, if a child with a disability cannot move independently, that is, cannot eat, cannot go outside, the mother is also added to the registration as a caregiver. The allowance money is a negligible amount, but even that is something. Those who called said they could add my wife too, but that it would cost 300 dollars. My wife told them she would consult with me first.

“How right is it to make money off a child with a disability?”

— When I heard about this, I got nervous. Making money off a child, first of all, does not conform to humanity. I called them and said I would meet with the person who said this and resolve the problem. The person on the phone said he would send me a number and disappeared. Maybe he sensed something, I had such a suspicion.

Two days later, an SMS arrived stating that my daughter's disability was confirmed. But they did not add the mother. I got nervous, thinking, “So, if we had given the amount they asked for, they would have added the mother too.” I might find that amount by performing at a wedding or taking an advertisement. We talk to families with disabilities every day. One day my wife takes her for treatment, one day I take her. There are those who have the conditions to give the stated amount, and there are also those who cannot afford it. I could not tolerate this.

“They asked us to register again because the disability came out incorrect”

— I did not immediately take a video on my own initiative and post it on the internet. I went to the social protection center in Sergeli district together with my wife. We asked them for advice on what we could do. The child is disabled, she cannot move on her own, but the disability document came out incorrect. They looked, walked back and forth, but the problem was not resolved. In the end, they said we had to register the child again. This meant showing the child again for two weeks and starting the work from the beginning. I did not agree to this. Because carrying the child there and standing in line again is not easy. What is the child's or our fault here? Even if it were my fault, it wouldn't hurt so much, he says.

“The problem that was not resolved when we went on our own feet was resolved after the video”

— Right there, I asked them what I could do. “If you want, make a video,” they said. I told them that since my business was not done, I wanted to make a video appeal. They said this was my choice. After I made the video appeal, they said, “Why did you do that, if you had told us, it would have been resolved.” After the problem that was not resolved by going on foot was resolved after the video, they are telling us, “You could have just said a word about it.” I did not go alone, I went to them with my wife, also carrying the child.

This problem is not only mine, it is the problem of families with disabilities. There is a very big problem with the Medical and Social Expert Commission not only among young children, but also among adults.

“A working group was formed, and looking at the child right there, they said ‘there is no need to examine, it is clear she has a disability’”

— On that very day, a working group was formed, and they resolved the problem by morning. The next day, when my wife and I went, about 20 people were sitting there. There were representatives from the Republic, the city — from all of them. Even before examining, right there they said, “The child's disability is visible, after all.” After they examined the child, they said they would give the answer soon. After that, we left our documents. Indeed, an SMS reply arrived stating that the child has a disability and the mother was also added.

It is not about money, and I do not want to be a hero either. Here, I only raised the problem that parents are facing. I could not tolerate injustice. Because medicine is bought for 20 days at 980,000 soums per day. Medicine is not taken only during the 10-day rest. The child has other medicines, clothes. In a month, we buy medicine for nearly 1,000 dollars. True, this is our problem, not someone else's. But what I am saying is also not a small amount. Now, here there are those who can afford to treat their child, and there are also those who do not have the strength for this.

This is a trial. Accepting this itself was very difficult. There were also many questions like, “My other children are fine, why is my youngest like this, where did I make a mistake?”

After I sent a video appeal to Shahnoza Mirziyoyeva, on that very day, people from the Medical and Labor Expert Commission called me and said that if I deleted the video, they would resolve the problem. There were also talks from all sides by my workplace regarding why I posted such a video. To all of them, I said that not as an actor, but as a father, I would not take down the video.

“Some said my business was resolved quickly because I am an artist”

Many people told me, “Your business was resolved quickly because you are an artist. What about ours?”. But there were also those who said, “We went after your video appeal. Our business, which had not been resolved for months, has been resolved.” No one will tell me for doing this, “You did a great job by making someone's nose bleed. Take this 10,000 dollars and use it to treat your child.” But what made me very happy is that after I posted the appeal on the network, the video reached them that very evening. Actions started by the orders of Shahnoza Shavkatovna. That very day, a working group was opened. When we went to the commission in the morning, the working group told us even the date when we went to the doctor. This means the situation was checked and studied. Thank you very much for not leaving it unattended. I emphasize again, they dislike the top, not here. Whereas, many things are resolved right here.

Then, reports appeared on the internet that some people were dismissed from work. I have no information about this. For me, it is not even necessary for someone to leave their job. For me, the main thing is that when one goes with an appeal, their business is resolved. Because it is difficult for a disabled person to walk, says the actor.

“They called me and said they only realized the error in the system after my video appeal”

— They called me. I spoke personally. The person who called said, “We realized that the system we created was wrong after your video.” As I said above, things here do not reach up there. They said they would soon redesign the system on this topic and eliminate its errors and shortcomings.

In the current existing system, the document sent from the clinic comes directly to the medical and social expertise commission. The worst part of this is the “go and return,” and let alone adults, the child also wanders. All such problems gathered, and in the end, as a father, I was forced to make this video. If this is a mistake or a crime, let me be a criminal, says the actor.