Minister of Health of Kyrgyzstan Erkin Checheybaev held a technical meeting with the UNICEF team led by Samman Thapa, where they discussed key issues of improving the efficiency of healthcare financing, as well as measures to reduce the impact of air pollution on the health of children and the population in general.
According to the press center of the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic, the parties discussed the results of an analysis of the efficiency of public spending in the healthcare sector and emphasized the need to increase investments in primary health care to improve the population’s access to medical services. Among the recommendations is the need to revise some financing principles, strengthen preventive medicine, improve access to medicines, and move to results-based financing of the medical sector.
The meeting participants also discussed the problem of air pollution and its impact on health.
UNICEF consultant Jay Turner presented a strategy to reduce the impact of polluted air on children and women. He spoke about a pilot project in the city of Osh aimed at studying this problem. Preliminary results of the study are planned to be presented in April 2025.
It should be noted that Bishkek recently became the world leader in air pollution. At the same time, the Ministry of Natural Resources stated that many devices installed to measure air pollution levels do not meet the necessary technical requirements and standards. Officials believe that there is less smog in the city.
Among the main causes of smog are the lack of catalytic converters in 85 percent of cars in the country, an increase in the number of residential areas around the capital, chaotic, unplanned construction and cutting down trees.
