On Monday, October 19, 2009, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) co-hosted the USAID/ZdravPlus project close-out event celebrating 15 years of USAID support for health reform in the Kyrgyz Republic. The excellent partnership between the MOH and USAID has been constant over the last 15 years and has significantly contributed to implementation of the successful and internationally recognized Kyrgyz Republic health reforms.
Beginning in 1994 three consecutive USAID projects, ZdravReform, ZdravPlus, and ZdravPlus II, have worked to strengthen the health system. USAID assistance started with support for the first health reform pilot in Issyk-Kul Oblast. Since that time, the MOH and USAID have worked together to expand and roll-out the health reforms to the entire country. Today, the MOH and USAID are partners in implementation of the National Manas Taalimi Health Care Reform Program and sector-wide approach (SWAp) which is the most comprehensive health program and first SWAp in any country or sector in Central Asia.
The MOH and USAID partnership has contributed to substantial results and achievement of health sector goals. Results include reducing patient financial burden particularly for the poorest 40% of the population; equalizing regional distribution of health expenditures; decreasing financial and geographic access barriers for the population; increasing utilization of primary health care and hospital care; increasing expenditures for cost-effective primary health care; increasing the share of hospital resources allocated directly to patients (e.g. medicines, medical supplies, food) rather than to the maintenance of infrastructure; increases in patients diagnosed with hypertension having their blood pressure under control; introduction of the Safe Motherhood Program including improvements in clinical practice according to international standards; improvements in reproductive health and family planning; retraining all primary health care professionals in the country; and formation and strengthening of 276 Village Health Committees in Issyk-Kul and Jalalabat Oblasts.
The reformed health system is more sustainable due to USAID/ZdravPlus Project support for institutional capacity building in the MOH, Mandatory Health Insurance Fund, Kyrgyz State Medical Institute for Retraining and Continuing Medical Education, Medical Academy, Republican Medical Information Center, Center for Health Systems Development and many health providers throughout the country. In addition, USAID ZdravPlus has supported the establishment and development of health sector associations that have been delegated functions from the MOH and are working to improve quality of health services including the Family Medicine Specialists Association, the Family Group Practice Association, the Hospital Association, and the Medical Accreditation Commission.
Although the USAID/ZdravPlus project is finishing, the MOH and USAID plan to continue their successful partnership in the future. USAID plans new projects which will continue to demonstrate the support of the American people to improving health services and the health of the Kyrgyz people.
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