Coordination in Health Sector

The Ministry of Health embarked on ambitious reform plans from the mid-1990s. For almost a decade, the heath sector strategy was the only one at the national level and it was aimed at profound structural reform to sustain the state system of health care. The Kyrgyz reform programme was recognized as exemplary in the countries of the former Soviet Union. It was also the first national strategy at sector level around which the donors united their support.

Currently the Kyrgyz government is implementing the second generation health reform programme 2006-2010 which entered its third year of implementation. The programme builds on over ten years of consistent reform efforts in health financing and service delivery, strengthening and institutionalizing achievements and addressing shortcomings. The programme introduced new reform areas, such as reform of public health and medical education.

Implementation of the reform is led by the Ministry of Health and its partner institutions. The Ministry has a policy-making role and administers republic-level institutes and hospitals.

The Ministry has been steadily improving its management of the reform process.  The health reform programme is taking place in a unique environment under the Sector-wide Approach (SWAp). In the SWAp, the sector strategy provides a blueprint for developing the Kyrgyz health sector. Development partners provide their support to the sector strategy through budget support and parallel financing. Implementation progress is reviewed twice annually at the government-donor joint reviews. Currently, the Kyrgyz health SWAP is the only one the Central Asia.

Donor coordination in the health sector

Donor coordination in the health sector is organized around the bi-annual Health Summits. Health Summit is a consultative body for the Government of the KR and Donor community.

Objectives of the Health Summit:

- Analysis of the efficiency of “Manas taalimi” program implementation activities for previous year;

- Development of joint recommendations for the MOH and other agencies participating in implementation of the “Manas taalimi” program;

- Identification of the health development priorities for the following year

- Joint development and discussion on the POW for the following year;

- Agreement of the POW for the following year with all Summit’s participants;

- Identification of the partner’s contribution into the implementation of the POW under “Manas Taalimi” for the following year

MOH organizes two summits per year, one in May and one in September, and invites development partners and civil society organizations active in the health sector. Collective approach to sector monitoring and coordination is expected to improve efficiency, accountability and prioritization of donor support in the health sector.