Switzerland to support health reforms in Kyrgyzstan

Local news, 28.01.2022

On 28 January, 2022, the National Forum gathered more than 100 health facility managers from all provinces of Kyrgyzstan (also online) to find solutions to existing problems in the health system for better medical care to the population of the country.

National forum for health facility managers © Swiss Embassy Bishkek, 2022

Health facilities managers are responsible for management and coordination in health facilities; ultimately, they ensure quality health services to people. Unfortunately, the health system of the country lacks skilled managers. To improve this situation, the Ministry of Health designed the Vision on the Health Management System together with the Swiss Embassy.

Main implementing partners of this vision are the Association of Health Managers and the Center for Health System Development and Medical Technologies. They established the Health Managers Forum for a better exchange of experience among peers in applying new approaches in health management. The Swiss Health Management Strengthening Project is providing technical and financial support for all these initiatives.

“The National Forum is an important new platform for discussing health management problems and for developing joint solutions”, said Toktobai Maanayev, Chairperson of the Association of Health Managers’ Board. “This forum became the next step towards improving the health management system. The competence and professionalism of managers is the most important condition to improve medical care”.

“It is a first time that health facility managers across Kyrgyzstan gather together as members of the Association of Health Managers. I am very excited to be part of the Association and participate in its work that can boost the health reform process in the country”, said Talantbek Arstankulov, Director of the Osh oblast clinical hospital.

“For my personal experience of working in a hospital at the start of my career, I have experienced first-hand that health managers are critical to the success. I am very proud that Switzerland can support the Ministry of Health and leaders of hospitals and clinics in this”, said Ambassador Olivier Bangerter.

The National forum for health facility managers is planned to be held regularly.

Local news, 09.11.2022

The international nursing forum called “The future of nursing and midwifery in the Kyrgyz Republic. Prospects for integration into the international professional space” has started today in Bishkek. The event is dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the Nurses Professional Association of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The International Nursing Forum in Bishkek © Swiss Embassy in Kyrgyzstan, 2022.

The forum is organized by the joint efforts of the Ministry of Health, the Nurses Professional Association and the Swiss project “Medical Education Reforms in the Kyrgyz Republic”.

Around 250 participants are attending: among them there are key decision and policy makers, development partners, international experts, national and regional professional associations of nurses, the association of midwifes, medical colleges, practicing nurses and nurse trainers.

The participants will discuss ongoing reforms and global changes in nursing and midwifery practice and will determine a model of nursing education adapted to the needs of people and international requirements.

Since 2013, the Government of Switzerland has been financing the Medical Education Reforms project with the technical support of the Geneva University Hospitals in collaboration with a local implementing partner “Initiatives in Medical Education”.

In September 2022, the Swiss project in cooperation with the Ministries of Health and Education launched a new educational program for training nurses in Bishkek, Uzgen, Tokmok, and Naryn Medical Colleges. This experimental program promotes practice-based approach: 50% of all training hours are devoted to practice with full involvement of students in the clinical sites.