Kyrgyzstan expands access to palliative care and pain relief medications
Summary and headline written by AI from the source article. How we work
Kyrgyzstan has expanded its medical infrastructure to improve palliative care for its citizens.
The government of the Kyrgyz Republic passed resolution No. 572 last year to remove barriers for patients needing narcotic analgesics. This change allows more doctors to prescribe morphine, which the World Health Organization recognizes as a top pain relief treatment. The government also extended the validity of morphine prescriptions to one month and psychotropic drug prescriptions to two months.
Additionally, medical workers no longer have to return empty ampoules, simplifying the process for patients. Milana Turgunalieva, the co-chair of the Association of Palliative and Hospice Care, noted that these legislative steps have improved access to medication. A pilot project in the Naryn region demonstrated these improvements by increasing the number of pharmacies where morphine is available.
Yves Beyler, a doctor from Switzerland, observed that Kyrgyzstan began its palliative care revolution about 20 years ago, following the model established in Switzerland 40 years ago. Despite these advancements, the Kyrgyz healthcare system still faces challenges such as insufficient funding and a lack of attention to palliative care. Beyler and Turgunalieva emphasize that relatives provide most of the care, meaning families need better training and support.
The Association of Palliative and Hospice Care plans to hold training seminars with law enforcement agencies to clarify legislation regarding outpatient and inpatient medication dispensing.
