The Government of Switzerland through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) purchased the medical equipment for the emergency departments of hospitals, basic equipment and cars for the family medicine centers for the total amount of 800’000 CHF within the project “Health Facilities Autonomy” supported by the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic.

“It is so important that our contribution within our health projects gets the strong support of local authorities and personnel of the health facilities. I am very impressed by the level of commitment of all stakeholders, in particular the family doctors, the nurses and the management of the health facilities and also by the support of local authorities” – said Véronique Hulmann, Ambassador of Switzerland to the Kyrgyz Republic.

The “Health Facilities Autonomy” project is a contribution to the national programme "Den Sooluk" which has been implemented since 2015.  The project aims to improve access of rural population to medical services and to enhance the effectiveness and quality of health care services by increasing the autonomy of health care organizations and optimizing referral systems. The project implements activities for efficient use of infrastructure, financial, personnel and logistical resources. During this trip, the Swiss Ambassador also inaugurated laundry facilities of four hospitals. This is part of another project on infection control.

Around 50 doctors and 250 nurses provide medical care to more than 190 thousand people in these three rayons. The new medical equipment will improve efficiency and quality of medical care for the local population as well as access to medical services.

The three organizations will allocate in total up to USD 340’000 to provide shelter assistance to highly vulnerable earthquake-affected households in Chong Alai district of Osh oblast, to train local masons on affordable para-seismic construction norms and techniques, as well as to provide legal assistance to help the affected households claim their housing, land and property rights and access affordable and reliable insurance. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation will contribute CHF 240’000, the Aga Khan Foundation will contribute USD 50’000 and Helvetas the amount of CHF 40’000.

“The Swiss contribution to the reconstruction of houses is an expression of Switzerland’s solidarity towards the population of Chong Alai. The joint effort places victims at the center of our engagement in a spirit of neutrality, independence and impartiality”, said the Ambassador of Switzerland René Holenstein. 

The work will be implemented by the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED) in Kyrgyzstan and the Mountain Societies Development Support Programme (MSDSP) in close collaboration with the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic, District Department of Architecture and Jekendi Ayil Okmotu. 

For reference:

On 3^rd and 5^th May, a 5.9-magnitude earthquake and a 5.8-magnitude earthquake occurred in northern Tajikistan followed by several aftershocks. The earthquakes reverberated in several villages in Chong-Alai district of Kyrgyzstan, with a magnitude of 4 to 6. The Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kyrgyzstan reported that 1,000 houses, 3 hospitals, 1 primary health care centre and 1 school had been affected by the earthquake with damages of various intensities. 

The Government of Switzerland provides assistance for the development of the Kyrgyz Republic and supports projects in areas such as health, private sector development, public sector reform, and infrastructure. 

The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), a group of private, non-denominational, not-for-profit agencies that aim to improve living conditions and opportunities for people without regard to their particular religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. AKF has been active in the Kyrgyz Republic for more than two decades. For more information on AKF and AKDN, please visit: www.akdn.org. 

HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation is a development organization anchored in Switzerland. Helvetas started its activities in Kyrgyzstan in November 1994, and today organization is running 8 projects in Kyrgyzstan. Our organization is always ready to support and develop relationship with local and international partners. For more information, please visit our website at www.kyrgyzstan.helvetas.org