In Kyrgyzstan, oncologists express serious concern about the increasing number of cases where parents refuse to treat their children with cancer. This trend is leading to rising mortality rates and severe consequences. This information was announced at the Institute of the Ombudsman based on monitoring conducted in the pediatric oncology and hematology department of the National Center for Oncology and Hematology (NCOMH) in Bishkek.
According to doctors, the main factors for parental refusal are distrust of medical institutions and lack of financial resources.
“Some families prefer to turn to mullahs and folk healers. For example, there was a case where the parents of a child with leukemia, who was in remission, chose alternative treatment methods. A year later, the disease returned, and unfortunately, the child passed away,” medical workers reported.Human rights activists emphasize the importance of comprehensive work with families who refuse traditional treatment, highlighting the need for social and psychological support for parents of children with cancer.
It is worth noting that in 2025, the staff of the Institute of the Ombudsman conducted monitoring in two oncology institutions in Bishkek, where they studied treatment conditions, communicated with medical personnel and patients, and identified systemic problems in providing oncological care.
As a result of the inspection, the Ombudsman of the Kyrgyz Republic, Jamilya Jamambaeva, sent her recommendations to the Cabinet of Ministers, as well as to the Ministries of Health, Finance, and the State Enterprise "Kyrgyzpharmacy," regarding the elimination of identified violations.
She proposed to develop and implement a new state strategy for the control and prevention of oncological diseases and a comprehensive plan to combat cancer for the years 2025–2030.
