Emergency aid to cancer patients in Kyrgyzstan still free

Emergency aid to cancer patients in Kyrgyzstan is still free, although today during the meeting the deputies of the Parliament approved the amendments to the relevant law, which defines the categories of persons who have to partially pay for the aid, and the amount of co-payment.

The document was initiated by the deputy of the previous convocation Tashpolot Baltabaev. He recalled that according to the existing law on the cancer care of the population, all the help rendered to the people suffering from malignancies, should be free of charge at all health care institutions. But in fact, due to insufficient financing of the health care system, this rule is declarative.

The MP suggested abandoning non-working norm, transforming the whole system of providing cancer care into the Single Payer system. In this case, the state will annually draw up a list of persons who is rendered care for free, those who have to partially pay for it and the size of co-payment, based on the possibilities of financing. At the same time, the law preserves the norm that the emergency assistance to cancer patients, including foreigners, is free. Moreover, cancer patients can expect to receive essential drugs according to a list, approved by the Government each year.

At least 107 deputies voted for the bill and three were against. The document was sent to the President for signature.