Kyrgyzstan's Doctor Availability Below Central Asian Average Amid Staffing Decline

A recent analysis of Kyrgyzstan's healthcare labor market, the first of its kind, paints a concerning picture of declining staffing levels and a shortage of medical professionals. The findings, based on public sector data from 2013 to 2023, indicate that the ratio of practicing physicians to the population stands at 15.5 per 10,000 people, falling below the average for both Central Asia and the broader WHO European Region.

This downward trend is stark: the total number of healthcare workers has decreased by 18.5 percent over the decade, with doctors seeing a 19.2 percent drop and nurses a 16.9 percent decline. Midwives have experienced an even more dramatic reduction of approximately 35 percent. Zuura Dolonbaeva, head of the Education Department at the Ministry of Health, attributes this decline to systemic issues, including labor migration, heavy workloads, and inadequate working conditions within hospitals. These factors likely push skilled professionals to seek opportunities abroad or in less demanding fields.

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The decline in the number of doctors and nursing staff is significant and points to systemic problems in staffing. This trend may be linked to labor migration, high workloads, and inadequate working conditions in hospitals.

The report also highlights a significant geographical disparity in healthcare worker distribution. While Bishkek and Osh boast the highest concentration of doctors, other regions like Talas and Chui face much lower numbers. Conversely, Batken region has a disproportionately high number of nurses and midwives compared to Bishkek. This unevenness means that access to healthcare services is not uniform across the country, with rural and less developed areas bearing the brunt of the staffing shortages. The Ministry of Health intends to use this analysis for future planning to strengthen the healthcare system and attract young specialists, a crucial step for the well-being of the Kyrgyz population.

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Since 2013, there has been a decline in the availability of healthcare workers across all regions of the republic; the largest decrease in the number of doctors has been observed in Talas and Chui regions, as well as in Bishkek. The largest decrease in the number of nurses, midwives, and other specialists with secondary medical education was observed in the city of Osh, as well as in Osh, Chui, and Jalal-Abad regions.