Kyrgyzstan has a low physical accessibility of opioid analgesics. Milana Turgunalieva, co-chair of the Association of Palliative and Hospice Care of the Kyrgyz Republic, stated on Birinchi Radio.
She said that only about 40 pharmacies across the country are authorized to dispense narcotic and psychotropic analgesics.
«People who need pain relief often have to travel long distances to obtain their medication. For example, a young woman from Sokuluk had to travel to Bishkek every two days to get opioid painkillers for her seriously ill mother — while also working at the same time. Unfortunately, no assistance was available because there are no pharmacies in Sokuluk that dispense such drugs, and there was no facility where the patient could be hospitalized,» Milana Turgunalieva told.
She added that another serious issue in Kyrgyzstan is morphinophobia — a fear of using morphine — which is common among both patients and doctors.
«There is insufficient public awareness, and medical training in this area remains passive,» Turgunalieva noted. «A new draft regulation on the provision of palliative and hospice care is currently under review. If adopted, it could help address several existing problems in this field.»
