The problem of the shortage of doctors and nurses in the regions of Kyrgyzstan remains relevant and seems to have reached a critical limit. According to official data, the country lacks about 23,000 specialists, including doctors, nurses, and paramedics. In particular, there is a shortage of 6,500 doctors, 8,500 nurses, 3,500 paramedics, and about 2,000 technical specialists. The lack of qualified doctors is especially acute in remote areas.
How can we solve the problem of the shortage of medical personnel? What steps need to be taken to ensure quality medical care, especially in remote areas? Professor Akylbek Usupbaev, director of the Republican Scientific Center of Urology at the National Hospital, head of the Department of Urology and Andrology at KGMA, corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences, and Doctor of Medical Sciences, shared his thoughts on this topic in an interview with vb.kg.
Akylbek Cholponkulovich, why does the number of vacancies in state medical institutions remain high despite a significant increase in doctors' salaries in the regions?
- Despite the salary increases, this does not solve the problem of personnel shortages in the regions. For example, in the Talas region, there is still only one urologist working. Young specialists are not eager to move to the regions because there are no prospects and conditions for professional growth, including modern equipment. Young doctors want to learn new technologies, use laparoscopic and laser systems, and for them, it is not only about salary but also about the opportunity to gain new knowledge and experience.
The situation in medicine is such that knowledge becomes outdated faster than ever. According to the World Health Organization, the volume of medical information doubles every 73 days. This means that a doctor who has not undergone retraining for more than three years is working with outdated methods. How can a urologist-surgeon in Talas master new technologies if he does not have access to modern equipment?
The state of medical institutions in the regions directly affects the quality of medical care. When a patient seeks help, they hope for high standards and professionalism, but this does not always correspond to reality. For example, in the Naryn region, there is an acute shortage of medical personnel: there is a lack of more than 140 doctors, of which more than 20 are needed in the Naryn regional hospital. This creates additional burdens on medical workers, while the demand for inpatient care is growing. Similar problems are observed in the Talas region, where there is a shortage of about 170 specialists.
I am not trying to exaggerate the situation; this is the reality. Although a lot is being done in the country's healthcare system, it is clear that the lack of qualified personnel in the regions leads to increased costs for treating complications and hospitalizations due to low qualifications. Therefore, it is important not only to raise salaries but also to equip medical institutions with modern and, importantly, high-quality equipment. This will attract young specialists to the regions.
Currently, patients in the regions do not seek help from local doctors except in emergencies, preferring to travel to Bishkek. People are aware of new technologies and want to undergo surgeries using laparoscopic or laser systems, even though all minimally invasive surgeries are now paid. A large portion of the funds from payments goes to the purchase of expensive consumables.
Perhaps we should pay attention to the experience of Uzbekistan, where, with the help of international organizations, medical institutions have been equipped with modern equipment. Specialists from large centers come to train local doctors and implement new technologies. Starting this year, Uzbekistan has also launched a national system for the continuous professional development of medical workers, ensuring the constant updating of specialists' knowledge.
Meanwhile, our youth are leaving for abroad. Many of my students work in Russia and are satisfied with their working conditions and salaries. It turns out that we are training specialists for other countries while we remain without professionals.
Professor, when you talk about quality equipment, how can new equipment be of poor quality?
- I mean a problem that has long existed in Kyrgyz healthcare. When conducting tenders for the purchase of equipment, the cheapest samples are chosen, which, as a rule, break down quickly. Yes, high-quality equipment costs more, but it lasts longer and is more reliable.
I remember a case when my Spanish colleague, one of the leading urologic surgeons in Europe, came to us for master classes. During an operation, he faced problems due to poor equipment, which surprised me. He is used to working with high-quality technology and, of course, could not cope with the shortcomings of our apparatus. I continued the operation and successfully completed it. We have upgraded our urology center and can now perform surgeries at the level of European standards, but we do not have a robot.
Your colleagues say that the country can afford to buy a surgical robot, but its maintenance will cost almost as much as the equipment itself. This is too expensive.
- That is why it is necessary to train specialists for the maintenance of medical equipment in the country. Maintenance and consumables indeed cost more than the equipment itself. Previously, we had masters who were well-versed in any technology; now such specialists need to be trained. Otherwise, we continue to pay large sums to company representatives, although these funds could be directed to other needs of healthcare institutions.
