Funding for pediatric oncology in Kyrgyzstan has increased 200-fold

In Kyrgyzstan, funding for pediatric oncology has increased 200-fold compared to its initial level, according to the Ministry of Health.

Until 2014, funding for pediatric oncology did not exceed 1 million KGS per year. Starting in 2014, government support for this area began to increase steadily.

Through the High-Tech Medical Care Fund, funding first rose to 10 million KGS, then to 20 million, and finally to 100 million KGS. In 2025, 200 million KGS were allocated for these purposes.

The Ministry of Health notes that the increase in funding has made it possible to expand treatment options, improve access to medications—including anticancer drugs—and introduce modern diagnostic methods and high-tech medical care.

Specialized care for children with cancer is provided in Bishkek at the National Center for Maternal and Child Health, as well as in Osh.

An immunophenotyping laboratory has been established in the country, and flow cytometry testing has been introduced. This year, a project is underway to develop a FISH laboratory for molecular cytogenetic testing.

In 2024, an autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant was performed in Kyrgyzstan.

A residential facility is also being developed for children undergoing treatment and their parents, so that families from other regions can stay close to the medical facility during long-term therapy.

The Ministry of Health has developed clinical protocols and standard operating procedures. A “red flag” system is being implemented at the primary care level to help healthcare providers promptly identify possible signs of cancer in children.

In 2023, Kyrgyzstan joined the World Health Organization’s Global Initiative to Fight Childhood Cancer.

Further priorities include the development of molecular genetic diagnostics, strengthening intensive care services, expanding transplantation technologies, and increasing access to modern anticancer drugs.