Although there have been four ministers in the country over the past five years, many unresolved issues in healthcare remain. This article by 24.kg examines the current situation in the sector and attempts at reform.
Problem of Medication Shortages
The issue of medication shortages has long been discussed in Kyrgyzstan: prices continue to rise, and there is a shortage of certain drugs in pharmacies and hospitals. Some citizens are searching for medications on social media and encountering fraudsters.The state pharmacy points "El Aman," created at the initiative of Alymkadyr Beyshenaliev, have not significantly improved the situation. Despite promises to provide medications at lower prices, the actual difference has turned out to be minimal, and the shortage persists.
Nevertheless, there are no plans to close state pharmacies; on the contrary, an additional 500 million soms are to be allocated for their development. But will this solve patients' problems?
Kyrgyzstan imports 97 percent of its medications from abroad, while domestic producers cover only 3 percent of the market.
The Ministry of Health acknowledges the vulnerability of this structure and intends to optimize the work of "Kyrgyzpharmacy," including additional financial injections and improvements in procurement mechanisms.
In the first month of his tenure, Dosmambetov held a series of meetings focused on ensuring healthcare organizations have the necessary medications and unobstructed treatment for cancer patients, setting the goal of eliminating the shortage of vital drugs that people are forced to purchase abroad.
Fighting the Pharmaceutical Mafia
In March 2023, a state enterprise "Kyrgyzpharmacy" was established, aimed at reducing drug prices through direct cooperation with manufacturers and eliminating private intermediaries.However, since then, "Kyrgyzpharmacy" has faced criticism. According to representatives, hospitals often submit requests late or with errors.
At one of the meetings, Dosmambetov noted that disruptions and lack of transparency in the procurement system are unacceptable. In response, he created a commission to analyze the work of "Kyrgyzpharmacy" and the department of pharmaceuticals.
Meanwhile, the Audit Chamber has identified violations in the operations of "Kyrgyzpharmacy," and the company has seen a change in its director again. Additionally, "Kyrgyzpharmacy" plans to obtain a state loan of 2 billion soms.
According to Dosmambetov, "Kyrgyzpharmacy" is currently in a systemic crisis — there is funding, but effectiveness is below zero, procurements are not being fulfilled, and hospitals are not receiving the necessary medications.
The minister links these problems to internal management deficiencies, such as weak management and conflicts of interest among previous leaders.
When selecting a new director, emphasis was placed on their independence from the pharmaceutical mafia.
Whether the new director will be effective remains to be seen, but often new leaders do not stay in their positions for long.
In Search of New Personnel
Each new minister tries to inspect the work of medical institutions and change their leadership.In January, an inspection revealed violations at the National Center for Cardiology and Therapy named after Mirrakhimov and the Research Institute of Heart Surgery and Organ Transplantation, leading to the dismissal of their leaders.
Younger specialists with experience abroad were appointed in their place.
This is just the beginning of personnel changes. As Dosmambetov noted, in some state institutions, leaders have been in place for 20-30 years, slowing down the development of medicine. Critically low turnover of managers leads to stagnation and hinders the growth of young personnel.
While finding new leaders may still be possible, the situation with ordinary medical workers is much more complicated. Young specialists do not stay, unwilling to work in the regions.
According to official data, the republic lacks 6,500 doctors, 8,500 nurses, and 3,500 sanitary workers.
Starting from April 1, 2026, the authorities promise to increase medical salaries by 100 percent, hoping this will help attract new specialists and retain the old ones.
According to statements from Sadyr Japarov, the average salary for doctors currently stands at 31,500 soms, and after the increase, it will reach 62,500 soms, with medical workers taking home about 50,000.
There is also the issue of providing medical workers with housing. Five thousand medical professionals will receive mortgage apartments out of turn, although specific timelines have not yet been clarified.
Rising Prices for Medical Services
However, the infrastructure of state hospitals leaves much to be desired: there is a lack of equipment, and the technology often breaks down.To increase competitiveness, it has been decided to grant autonomy to state organizations, but so far only 20 of them. This is expected to lead to an increase in prices for paid services, although officials claim that the new tariffs will be half of those of private providers.
Additionally, plans are in place to create a unified system of state medical laboratories, which will include the construction of new facilities and equipping them with modern equipment.
New hospitals are also promised: the project for a modern medical city, announced under the previous minister, continues to be advanced by the new leadership of the Ministry of Health. Nevertheless, patients are sometimes forced to stay in hospital corridors.
