14:11, 17 марта 2026, Bishkek - 24.kg news agency , Anastasia BENGARD
The number of patients with mental disorders in Kyrgyzstan is growing by 10-11 percent annually. Nurgul Ibraeva, head of the Primary Health Care Department of the Ministry of Health’s Directorate for the Organization of Medical Care and Pharmaceutical Policy, said at press conference.
According to her, the upward trend has been observed since 2021.
«As of January 1, 2025, over 50,000 patients with psychiatric disorders were registered in the country. Each year, between 3,000 and 4,500 citizens are diagnosed for the first time. Mental health is a pressing issue not only in our country but worldwide. Along with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and lung disease, mental disorders are considered non-communicable diseases,» Nurgul Ibraeva said.
In September 2025, former Health Minister Erkin Checheybaev reported that approximately 11 percent of the population in Kyrgyzstan suffers from various mental disorders (anxiety, depression, suicidal risk), as well as addiction to alcohol, tobacco, or psychoactive substances.
Therefore, for the first time in many years, Kyrgyzstan is developing a national strategy specifically for mental health. Multidisciplinary teams are being formed at the primary healthcare level, including a family physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, and visiting nurse.