The Jogorku Kenesh Social Policy Committee approved in the first reading the bill to amend the Law ‘On Protection of Citizens’ Health’. The bill was initiated by MPs Aisuluu Mamashova, Nilufar Alimzhanova, Aida Isatbek kyzy and Bahridin Shabazov.

The bill proposes to ban the simultaneous employment of heads of state medical institutions in private clinics to eliminate corruption schemes and improve the quality of medical services. MP Aisuluu Mamashova emphasised that this measure is aimed at increasing confidence in the healthcare system.

During the discussion, MP Aibek Matkerimov proposed to expand the ban on heads of departments of state medical centres. The Committee Chairperson Vinera Raimbachayeva also noted the problem of referring patients to private clinics because of surgery queues in state hospitals.

MP Eldar Abakirov, in turn, raised the issue of increasing salaries for heads of medical institutions and suggested reducing the term of their tenure from 10 to 5 years.

At the same time, it should be noted that the average nominal salary of healthcare workers was 20,793 KGS by the end of 2023.  This is significantly lower than the average salary in Kyrgyzstan, which, according to the National Statistics Committee, was 35,600 KGS.