World Health Organization (WHO)

Kyrgyzstan became a member of the WHO Regional Office for Europe in 1992. The WHO Health Information Centre for the Central Asian Region was opened in Bishkek in 1993 (project completed in 2005). The WHO Office for Coordination and Liaison with Kyrgyzstan was opened in 1994. It was renamed the WHO Office in Kyrgyzstan in 2006. 

The head of the WHO Country Office has been Dr. Nazira Artykova since February 2019. The country office uses the capacity of local experts, national coordinators and consultants.

Legal framework: The basic agreement between WHO and the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic was signed in November 1994.

Mandate of WHO:

- Addressing health issues;

- Defining global health standards;

- Cooperating with countries to strengthen national policies and programmes;

- Ensuring the development and promotion of appropriate health technologies; information and standards.

Project activities. Currently, there are five project activities.

1. Communicable diseases (tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, vaccine-controlled diseases (measles, etc.).
2. Non-communicable diseases (cardiovascular control, control of tobacco use, mental health, introduction of tools to prevent violence, alcohol strategy). With support from WHO, Kyrgyzstan established an extensive database on disease risk factors, treatment and care. In 2016, WHO conducted an analysis of patient services for heart attacks and stroke, and is currently supporting the development of a road map for affordable and effective treatment and care.
3. Promoting health throughout the life-course including actions aimed at control of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health, social determinants of health, health and the environment, support for the implementation of the National Millennium Development Goal Plan on Maternal Mortality. In 2015-2016 the WHO has piloted training of midwives in primary health-care on performing abortions in rural and remote areas to make medical abortions safer and more accessible.
4. Health systems. With the WHO's technical assistance the National health policies have been developed and implemented, in particular, the «Den Sooluk» programme for 2012-2016, the national strategy «Health 2020».  The following documents were developed during 2016-2018: the strategy for the detection and treatment of patients with tuberculosis; international classification of diseases for diagnosis of diseases; criteria for live births; the first medical form and a list of life-saving drugs. As a result of comprehensive anti-malarial interventions and strengthening of disease surveillance systems, Kyrgyzstan was certified by the WHO as a malaria-free country in 2017.
5.  Preparedness, epidemiological surveillance and response, through support for the implementation of National plans, health regulations, laboratory capacity-building and technical assistance for the revision of the pandemic preparedness plan, epidemiological surveillance of influenza. In 2015, Kyrgyzstan started to implement the WHO initiative «Good Laboratories - Good Health». Under this initiative, WHO has helped to build national laboratory capacity by contributing to policy development and improving laboratory services and training.
6. WHO has been assisting in organizing responses to various emergencies. WHO is promoting widespread implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR) in Kyrgyzstan. A joint external evaluation of the functions of IHR was conducted in 2016; a public health emergency action plan was developed in 2017, and simulation exercises and capacity-building activities have been continued since 2018. A project to improve pediatric care in 10 Kyrgyz hospitals has been initiated, and alternative power supply equipment has been installed in 5 Kyrgyz hospitals.
7. From 2016 to 2018 the WHO together with the Ministry of the health of the Kyrgyz Republic has carried out the joint road safety project in Kyrgyzstan. Thus, the WHO has developed the technical package «Save lives» as a tool for reducing road deaths. The project aims to help Kyrgyzstan to achieve the goals of the Decade of Action for Road Safety and to reduce road traffic fatalities by 50 per cent by 2020. 

WHO carries out its activities within the strict framework of its mandate and cooperates with the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic in the implementation of its tasks.

Delegations of the Kyrgyz Republic have been regularly attending annual sessions of the World Health Assembly as well as meetings of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe.