In Kyrgyzstan, there is a stable increase in the number of people with mental illnesses: since 2021, the number of patients with relevant diagnoses has been increasing by 10–11% annually. At a press conference at the "Sputnik Kyrgyzstan" agency, Nurgul Ibraeva, a representative of the Ministry of Health, announced the current data. As of the beginning of 2025, more than 50,000 people are registered, and every year doctors identify new cases of mental disorders in 3,000 to 4,500 citizens.
Experts note that mental disorders today are comparable in severity to such non-communicable diseases as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. According to information from the Ministry of Health, about 11% of the country’s citizens face various manifestations of depression, increased anxiety, suicide risks, and substance dependencies.
In response to these challenges, the government of Kyrgyzstan has begun to develop the first national strategy for mental health protection in a long time. As part of the reform, it is planned to change the primary care system: multidisciplinary teams will be created in clinics, which will include, in addition to family doctors and visiting nurses, professional psychologists and psychiatrists for more timely identification and support of patients.
