Background

This publication represents a common effort – by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic and the development partner community committed to the country's health sector – to improve information sharing and strengthen efforts towards better aid coordination and effectiveness. This exercise represents a useful tool to enable both parties to adjust their work plans towards common goals and shared priorities in both the short and the medium term.
The strategic documents for the Kyrgyz health sector are: the Strategy for the protection and promotion of public health of the Kyrgyz Republic 2020 (Health-2020), approved by Government Resolution No.306, 4 June 2014; and the Den Sooluk National Health Reform Programme of the Kyrgyz Republic for 2012–2016, approved by Government Resolution No.309, 24 May 2012. The Health-2020 strategy includes the strategic vision for improvement of the health sector based on a cross-sectoral approach to the protection and promotion of public health. The principles of the strategy fully align with the principles of the National Sustainable Development Strategy of the Kyrgyz Republic for 2013–2017, and with the principles of the Den Sooluk programme.
The Den Sooluk programme was developed on the basis of experience of previous health reform programmes. It is focused on achieving specific goals in four priority areas: (i) cardiovascular diseases; (ii) maternal and child health; (iii) TB; and (iv) HIV, through provision of extended coverage of key services, improving quality of care and elimination of barriers in the health system that have not been eliminated in the framework of previous programmes.
As a Member State of the WHO European Region, Kyrgyzstan supports the objectives adopted within the framework of a WHO Health 2020 regional strategy. Health 2020 aims at significant improvement in the health and well-being of the population, reduction of health inequalities and strengthening of public health. It also aims at ensuring the sustainability of health systems focusing on the needs of the people and at a high quality of care in compliance with the principles of universal health coverage, social equity and sustainability.
This document is the first report on official development assistance (ODA) to the Kyrgyz health sector. It aims to:
• share information and present a picture of external assistance to the health sector across the priorities set out in the strategic policy documents;
• provide evidence in support of the policy dialogues and development of coordination mechanisms at national and international levels;
• generate evidence that may help to strengthen development partner coordination in support of the ongoing reforms in the Kyrgyz health sector;
• provide forecasts of future external assistance from both short- and medium-term perspectives; and
• inform future national strategic plans and development partners’ strategies to support the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic both financially and technically.
This publication provides a picture of external assistance channeled to the health sector, highlighting not only well-supported areas of intervention but also relatively overlooked categories. Its main purpose is to provide an overall picture of external assistance to the health sector which may inform strategic planning by development partners and national authorities over the next years.
In order to implement the overall coordination and consistent decision-making on the use and planning of external assistance, Government Resolution No. 592 of 30 August 2012 established a Coordination Council between the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic and the development partners.