Diabetes and high blood pressure may lead to serious health harms when not treated and properly controlled by health care professionals and patients themselves. Jointly with the Ministry of Health, the Swiss project has prepared almost 700 family nurse trainers in health organizations in Chui, Naryn, Talas and Issyk-Kul to treat up to 45.000 registered patients.

The family nurses have taken over an important role in the education of patients helping them to have a healthier life. For now, 40% of all registered patients with type 2 diabetes and 35% of registered patients with hypertension in Naryn, Chui, Talas and Issyk-Kul oblasts are attending the Patient Education Classes. The patients will learn to better manage their diseases by receiving information on ways to cope with it, how to self-manage and avoid complications. In addition, the Swiss project helped to develop a mobile application for medical staff and patients.

The classes offered in local health facilities have been developed by the Association of Family Group Practitioners, Association of Cardiologists, Association of Endocrinologists, and approved by the Ministry of Health.

The Project "Effective Management and Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases in Kyrgyzstan" is financed by the Government of Switzerland to improve the health and wellbeing of the Kyrgyz population in the rural areas of Chui, Talas, Naryn, and Issyk-Kul regions of Kyrgyzstan.

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Hypertension is when the blood pressure is higher than normal, meaning a systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg and a diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg or higher. Hypertension may lead to serious health conditions such as heart diseases, heart attacks, strokes, and other serious medical conditions. 

Diabetes is a chronic health condition with elevated blood sugar (blood glucose) levels. Uncontrolled diabetes may lead to severe complications including eye problems and blindness, kidney disease, heart attacks, stroke, and even lower limb amputations. 

Health managers are responsible for managing entire health facilities and coordinating the service delivery processes. The Center was established in 2019 in Bishkek to support their training. Switzerland has allocated more than 7 million soms for the renovation and equipment of the Center, including computers, projectors, and interactive whiteboards.

During his welcoming speech the Minister of Health thanked the Government of Switzerland for more than 20 years of support to the health sector in the form of technical, financial and humanitarian assistance. "We plan that this Resource Centre will work with interested partners to increase professional level of health managers," said Minister Alymkadyr Beishenaliyev.

The health of the population and the quality of health services depend on the knowledge and skills of these managers; “our aim is that ordinary citizens are better served in the health system and this center will make a difference,” said the Swiss Ambassador Olivier Bangerter.

The Center will train health managers according to the needs for effective management they have identified. It will also offer an electronic archive on domestic and foreign best practices in health management and leadership skills.

The Center is created within the Swiss Health Management Strengthening Project, which has been working since August 2020 in cooperation with Euro Health Group (Denmark) and Public Fund “Health System Initiatives” (Kyrgyzstan).