Currently, five folk healers operating in violation of legislation have been identified in Kyrgyzstan. However, the capabilities of the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic in this matter are limited to administrative measures only. As reported by Aman Osmonov, head of the licensing department of the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic, in the program "Elden Sobol," responsibility for illegal medical practice is divided into criminal and administrative. If harm is caused to a citizen's health, the case is transferred to the jurisdiction of law enforcement agencies, while the Ministry of Health can impose a fine for the lack of a license.
“Previously, until 2024, the fine was 7,500 soms, but we have increased it to 100,000 soms. Despite this, such measures do not deter healers: we can close one establishment, and the next day it resumes operations. This indicates that even the amount of 100,000 soms is not sufficient. We are considering the possibility of further increasing fines,” Osmonov added. He also noted that during recent inspections, cases of selling aconite and other poisonous plants were discovered. Sellers cannot provide convincing evidence of the safety of their products. There are regulations of the Customs Union governing food safety, which prohibit the use of more than 350 types of plants and other materials as human food. These rules are ignored by the healers.
