Crimean Tatars are native inhabitants of the Crimean peninsula, now a part of the Republic of Ukraine. The Crimean Tatars were deported in masses from their homeland, during one of Stalin's purges in 1944. After 45 years of nonviolent protest and dissident activity by the Crimean Tatars in exile in Ozbekistan, the Soviet State allowed them to return to Crimea after Perostroika in 1989. However, the Crimean Tatars who have returned home are facing incredibly harsh living conditions.

280,000 Crimean Tatars, who returned to their homeland, have been living under terrible economic and health conditions. There are hardly any jobs, food, or shelter. Moreover, the widespread epidemics that occur one after another are affecting the people immensely. Malnutrition and poor medical services further escalate these problems and provide fertile ground for sickness and poverty related diseases. Today, 30% of the total Crimean Tatar population in Crimea is infected with tuberculosis. Due to the non-hygienic water supply, cholera is also prevalent. These diseases are easily treatable, but in Crimea they pose a harmful threat. Furthermore, leukemia is another health threatening issue in Crimea. Due to the shocking inadequacy of simple medical services, the health of many Crimean Tatars sadly deteriorates with each passing day.

According to the census of deported population the number of Crimean Tatars by Jan.1 1998 was 225,512 people, including 71,730 children younger than 14 years old (including 3,302 babies). Mass return of the deported people, their living conditions, difficult material situation, lack of elemenatry hygienic conditions, the fact that people often come late looking for medical help, absence of first aid clinics in Tatar villages and other factors make the death rate increase, especialy the mortality rate in babies. All these factors also increase the number of cases of different diseases among the Crimean Tatars.

The most frequent are the cases of blood circulation disorders, nervous system disorders, diseases affecting respiratory organs, diseases of bone-muscle system and connective tissues.

The following diseases among the Crimean Tatars is higher than the general rate in the Republic:
~ Basedow's goiter (2.6 times higher)
~ glaucoma (1.4 times higher)
~ cholecystitis (1.6 times higher)
~ blood diseases and diseases of blood making organs (2.1 times higher)
~ diseases of bone-muscle system and connective tissues (2.9 times higher)

Among children younger than 14 years old, the most frequent are the diseases of respiratory organs, nervous system organs, and digestion diseases. Children younger than 14 are diagnosed with anemia 3.2 times more than adults, psychological disorders 3.1 times more often than adults, and skin diseases 2.4 times more often than adults.