Global Affairs Canada and the Aga Khan Foundation have launched the five-year “Foundations for Health and Empowerment” Programme to strengthen the delivery of quality, gender-responsive, and inclusive health services for women, girls, adolescents, their families and communities.
“The Ministry of Health welcomes the Aga Khan Foundation's new partnership initiative to improve the health of citizens of Kyrgyzstan. We are pleased with the support of partner organisations to the country's healthcare system, in particular, in the field of improving the infrastructure and material and technical support of medical institutions, as well as improving the qualifications of medical specialists. I hope for the further expansion of our fruitful cooperation,” Deputy Minister of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic, Mr. Jalalidin Rakhmatullaev, said at the inauguration of the programme on November 16, 2021, in Bishkek.
The new programme will strengthen the quality of medical services through increased capacity of medical institutions by using best practise methodologies and course development approaches. Moreover, the programme will provide basic equipment to maternal and child health departments at 16 primary and secondary healthcare facilities, two oncological centres, and the Centre for Maternal and Child Health.
“The programme will reduce gender and social barriers to the utilisation and uptake of health services for women and girls, men and boys. Gender and reproductive programmes will be integrated into the plans of 30 schools. In these schools, the knowledge of adolescents on hygiene, nutrition, physical activity, and healthy lifestyles will be increased. The programme will expand the capacity of institutions and communities to identify and respond to gender and social barriers. Women's organisations will receive targeted support from the programme to develop gender equality programming and to empower women,” Davlatsulton Dorgabekova, the CEO of the Aga Khan Foundation in the Kyrgyz Republic, said.
The programme will be implemented in Osh, Jalal-Abad and Naryn oblasts of Kyrgyzstan, namely in Kara-Kuldzha, Alay, Chon-Alay, Ala-Buka, Aksy, Naryn, Ak-Talaa and At-Bashy rayons.
The current programme has a budget of $2m and is financed by the Government of Canada and AKF Canada as part of a multi-year health initiative being implemented for the benefit of the peoples of the Kyrgyz Republic since 2020. Partners of the programme include the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Kyrgyz State Medical Institute for Advanced Studies and Retraining, the Public Foundation Kyrgyzstan Mountain Societies Development Support Programme (MSDSP), the University of Central Asia and the Aga Khan Health Services.