National Hospital says it lacks portable echocardiography device after patient complaint

Kyrgyzstan’s National Hospital has confirmed that it does not currently have a portable echocardiography device that can examine seriously ill patients at their bedsides.

The clarification followed a complaint on social media from the sister of a patient. She said the family had needed to call and pay a private specialist who had the required equipment.

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At present, the hospital has the necessary stationary equipment for echocardiography, as well as equipment to provide patients with oxygen. However, it currently does not have a portable echocardiography device that allows examinations to be conducted at the patient’s bedside.

The hospital said it has the stationary equipment needed for echocardiography and equipment to provide patients with oxygen. It explained that a large tertiary-care facility must set equipment priorities across a wide range of expensive, specialized and high-technology needs.

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The acquisition of a portable echocardiography device is already included in the hospital’s equipment plans.

Administrators said a portable echocardiography device is already included in the hospital’s equipment plans. They also said the hospital’s management and financial autonomy, introduced on a pilot basis from 2026, could help accelerate purchases of modern diagnostic equipment.

The hospital stressed that the presence or absence of one piece of equipment does not determine whether medical care can be provided overall. Doctors decide how and where to conduct examinations, including whether a patient should be transported, based on medical indications and the patient’s condition.

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The presence or absence of specific equipment does not determine the possibility of providing medical care as a whole.