Despite the fact that four health ministers have changed in the last five years, the number of unresolved issues has only increased. This article examines how the reform of the healthcare system is being carried out by 24.kg.
Problems with Medications
The shortage of medications in the country is a long-standing issue: prices are rising, some drugs are missing from pharmacies, and hospitals are experiencing shortages of others. Many citizens are searching for medications through social networks and encountering fraudsters.The state pharmacy points "El Aman," created at the initiative of former minister Alymkadyr Beishenaliev, did not improve the situation. Officials promised significantly lower prices than in private pharmacies, but the difference turned out to be minimal, and the shortage of certain medications persisted.
Despite this, there are no plans to close state pharmacies, and an additional 500 million soms are to be allocated for the development of the network. However, will this solve the patients' problems?
Kyrgyzstan imports 97% of medications from abroad, while domestic producers cover only 3% of the market.
The Ministry of Health considers such dependence vulnerable and plans to optimize the work of the state enterprise "Kyrgyzpharmacia" with additional funding and improved procurement mechanisms.
During the first month of his work, Kanybek Dosmambetov held a series of meetings regarding the provision of medications and the treatment of cancer patients. He set the task of closing the shortage of vital medications that people are forced to purchase abroad.
Fighting the Pharmaceutical Mafia
In March 2023, the state enterprise "Kyrgyzpharmacia" was established with the aim of reducing medication prices through direct cooperation with manufacturers and eliminating intermediaries.However, since then, "Kyrgyzpharmacia" has faced criticism. The enterprise notes that hospitals often submit applications with errors or late.
At one of the meetings, Kanybek Dosmambetov expressed dissatisfaction with the disruptions and lack of transparency in the procurement system. He created a commission to analyze the work of "Kyrgyzpharmacia."
Although the Ministry has not yet presented the results of the work, violations have been identified by the Audit Chamber. At this time, "Kyrgyzpharmacia" has again changed its director, and the enterprise plans to obtain a state loan of 2 billion soms.
According to Kanybek Dosmambetov, "Kyrgyzpharmacia" is facing a systemic crisis — funding is available, but the effectiveness of operations is zero: procurements are being disrupted, deadlines are not met, and hospitals do not receive necessary medications on time.
The reasons for this situation lie in management problems: insufficient management and conflicts of interest, as well as the involvement of former leaders in schemes with pharmaceutical companies.
In this regard, when selecting a new director, a criterion of independence from the pharmaceutical mafia was established.
Whether the new leaders will be able to cope with the tasks set will be seen in time. However, as a rule, one does not have to wait long for new appointments.
Staff Search
Each new minister travels to the regions, checks the work of medical institutions, and changes their leaders.In January, an inspection revealed violations at the National Center for Cardiology and Therapy named after Mirrakhimov and the Research Institute of Heart Surgery and Organ Transplantation. As a result, the heads of both organizations were dismissed.
They were replaced by younger specialists with experience working abroad.
Clearly, these are not the last personnel changes. Kanybek Dosmambetov noted that there are leaders in state hospitals who have been working for 20-30 years, which hinders the development of medicine. Rotation and renewal of the system are necessary to give a chance to new specialists.
While finding new leaders is still possible, attracting ordinary medical workers is much more complicated. Young specialists do not stay, and many do not want to move to the regions.
According to official data, the republic lacks 6,500 doctors, 8,500 nurses, 3,500 orderlies, and about 2,000 technical specialists.
The authorities have promised to increase the salaries of medical workers by 100% starting April 1, 2026, hoping to attract and retain staff in this way.
According to Sadyr Japarov, the average salary of doctors currently stands at 31,500 soms, and starting April 1, it will increase to 62,500, while they will receive about 50,000 soms in hand.
Additionally, there is a problem of providing housing for medical workers. Five thousand employees are promised to be provided with mortgage apartments out of turn, but the timelines have not yet been determined.
Rising Costs of Medical Services
The infrastructure of state hospitals also requires improvements. There is a lack of equipment, technology often breaks down, and technical support can be insufficient.To enhance potential and competitiveness, state institutions will be granted autonomy, but initially, only 20 of them. This will lead to an increase in prices for paid medical services, however, officials assure that the rates will be half of those in private facilities.
In addition, the issue of creating a unified system of state medical laboratories is being raised again. The project involves building from scratch, equipping with modern equipment, creating a regional network, logistics, a quality control system, and implementing a digital platform for interaction with medical institutions.
New hospitals are also promised. The project of a medical city, announced under former minister Erkin Checheybaev, is now being promoted by the new leadership of the Ministry of Health. However, at present, patients are sometimes placed in corridors.
