During the meeting, emphasis was placed on the need to eliminate the shortage of the most in-demand and essential medications, which some patients are forced to purchase abroad in the near future.
To develop systemic solutions, a special commission was established under the Ministry of Health. It has been tasked with presenting specific proposals for improving drug supply by the end of 2023. It was also noted that measures will soon be taken to supply the missing medications.
Read more on the topic Verification of the activities of the Department of Medicines and the State Enterprise "Kyrgyzpharmacy"
In light of the increasing demand for drugs from the EVM list, and considering the scale of the healthcare system, ensuring stable supplies requires a comprehensive approach and the unification of efforts.
In this regard, it is planned to strengthen and optimize the work of the State Enterprise "Kyrgyzpharmacy," including additional financial investments and improving procurement mechanisms.
The existing market structure, where up to 95% of medications come from abroad, creates vulnerability.
The government has developed financial support instruments for local pharmaceutical companies, including credit programs through the State Development Bank, aimed at localizing drug production.
The minister also addressed the issues of purchasing medications for cancer patients, emphasizing that this area requires special responsibility and thoughtful decisions. Serious questions were raised during the discussion regarding the clinical appropriateness of some purchases.
In particular, the minister cited the example of the purchase of the oncology drug "Keytruda" (pembrolizumab) without the necessary accompanying documents, which could create certain risks. The total cost of the purchase amounted to about 80 million soms, which allows treatment for only a limited number of patients — approximately six people with stage four cancer.
Read more on the topic The oncology drug sat in the warehouse for seven months and will be delivered to hospitals in Kyrgyzstan
This approach raises justified questions about the appropriateness of spending budget funds, as similar financial resources could have been used to purchase medications for treating patients at earlier stages of the disease, which would allow for a greater number of people to be covered and increase the chances of recovery.
"Oncology drugs should not be used for marketing experiments or profit-making. Every decision in this area must be evaluated in terms of saving lives," the minister noted.
In this context, the unacceptability of unethical marketing and manipulation of applications, pressure on doctors, and the substitution of clinical indications with commercial interests was emphasized. In light of the tightening of responsibility for official crimes, any violations in the field of drug supply will be subject to strict legal assessment.
To enhance control and prevent dishonest practices, the implementation of a drug traceability system has been ordered, which should be ready for operation by the end of January 2026. This launch will ensure transparent control over the movement of medications from procurement to the end consumer, track the actual availability of drugs, forecast needs, plan purchases in advance, and respond promptly to the risks of shortages, excluding opaque schemes.
As part of this system, the Department of Medicines and Medical Devices has been tasked with developing a mechanism for creating a special database of dishonest participants in the pharmaceutical market. This database will include entities that violate legislation and the principles of ethical business conduct. Being listed in such a database will be grounds for prohibiting further participation in drug supplies within the territory of Kyrgyzstan.
