Medical Education Reform


The project is improving the quality of health services through well-trained health professionals. The exit phase will strengthen professional associations, modernize nursing education and establish an independent competency assessment centre. The Ministry of Health and Social Development delegated the competency development and assessment role to the Professional Associations, which are the key partners to implement the project’s interventions.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Kyrgyzstan
Health
Education
nothemedefined
Primary health care
Health systems strengthening
Education policy
01.09.2021 - 31.12.2024
CHF  2’440’000
Background Covid-19 hit badly the country’s development. Poverty increased from 21% to above 30% and GDP declined by 8.6% in 2020. The pandemic coupled with the political uncertainty has led to the change of country leadership and constitutional reform. The continuously carried out reforms in the Kyrgyz Health sector resulted in optimized number of hospitals and establishment of family medicine. The medical education system has been reformed to prepare family doctors with the support provided by SDC since 2013. The health system received well trained family doctors in 2020 after 8 years training. Regardless of reforms, the presence of educated and qualified doctors and nurses in the remote regions remains a major challenge.
Objectives Overall goal of the project is that Health professionals provide quality services, in particular at Primary Health Care level, to address the Kyrgyz population’s health needs.
Target groups The ultimate target for this project is the Kyrgyz population who will benefit from receiving improved health services provided by qualified medical personnel. The direct beneficiaries are students of nursing colleges (estimated 7’000); practicing family doctors (1'700) and nurses (26’130); members of the Professional Medical Associations (19 associations with 7’601 members).
Medium-term outcomes Competent doctors and nurses increase the effectiveness of the health care system through strong and recognized associations who play a key role in the regulation of the professions.
Results

Expected results:  

  • Professional Medical Associations are strong partners engaged in the regulatory process and in the provision of quality training.
  • An independent assessment, competency development and registration system for health professionals is implemented.
  • Nurses are empowered through the implementation of the education reform, focusing on practice-based approaches.


Results from previous phases:  

Major results of the 2 phases are:

  • modernized undergraduate medical education;
  • decentralized clinical postgraduate training increased the selection of general practice specialty by graduates from 41 in 2016 to 150 in 2021;
  • upgraded continuous education by introducing the e-learning platform (infrastructure and content of e-courses). For the promotion of telemedicine, the project established the telecommunication network connecting 65 health facilities, academic institutions and the Ministry of Health and Social Development. This platform was used for the COVID-19 training for all medical personnel in the country;
  • the Nursing Education Reforms was initiated.


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Project partners Contract partner
Foreign state institution
Swiss Academic and Research Institution
  • Central State of South East
  • Other Swiss academic and research institutions


Other partners
Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève in partnership with the Public Foundation “lnitiatives in medical education”
Coordination with other projects and actors The project works in close collaboration with the World Bank (PforR program), WHO, JICA (training of pharmacologists), KOICA (Higher education of nurses) and GIZ (PHC program).Synergies with the SDC funded health projects is ongoing: with Non-communicable disease - role of nurses; with health facility Autonomy - strengthening health managers.
Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    2’440’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    2’244’500
Project phases Phase 3 01.09.2021 - 31.12.2024   (Current phase) Phase 2 01.05.2017 - 31.08.2021   (Completed) Phase 1 01.04.2013 - 30.04.2017   (Completed)