As a result of increasing salaries for medical workers, the ambulance service in Bishkek has significantly reduced staff shortages. This was stated in an interview with the Kabar agency by Iskender Shayahemtov, the director of the Emergency Medical Care Center.
Currently, the Center employs 210 doctors and 365 nurses. Despite noticeable improvements, the issue of staff shortages has not been completely resolved.
Shayahemtov noted that just a year ago, the situation was critical, with 98 medical positions remaining vacant. However, after the salary increases, the situation has improved significantly.
“According to the president's decree, last year the salaries of ambulance staff in Bishkek and Osh increased by 20,000 soms. Currently, we have 32 vacant positions left. Thus, the staff shortage has been reduced by three times,” he emphasized.
In addition, Shayahemtov reported that there are five ambulance stations operating in Bishkek, which include 22 teams, and 42 vehicles are working around the clock.
“The first station is located in the northern district of Bishkek, in the residential area of 'Ak-Bosogo'. The second station is near the 'Manas' cinema, the third is in the village of Lebedinovka, the fourth is on Young Guard Boulevard and Ryskulov Street. We opened the fifth station two years ago in the residential area of 'Ak-Orgo'. These 42 teams respond to calls from neighboring residential areas and microdistricts,” added the director of the Emergency Medical Care Center.
However, according to him, this number of teams is still insufficient. “In Soviet times, 59 teams served 540,000 residents of Frunze. Today, in Bishkek, with a population of about 1.3 million, only 42 teams are functioning, which is inadequate. As a result, there are delays in responding to citizens,” Shayahemtov explained.
