CMNT_TITLE

Nursing Personnel Convention, 1977 (No. 149) - Kyrgyzstan (RATIFICATION: 1992)

Other comments on C149

Observation

Direct Request

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Article 2 of the Convention. National policy concerning nursing services and nursing personnel. The Committee notes the Government’s reference to the Decree of the Ministry of Health No. 61 of 9 February 2012 approving a “Programme for the development of nursing for 2012–16” as well as the Decree of the Ministry of Health No. 319 of 24 June 2008 on improving hospital nursing. The Government explains that the new measures have been adopted in order to improve the organization of the management and operation of nursing services, develop nursing education, and enhance the role of nurses in the health system. The Government also indicates that the working conditions of nursing personnel are equivalent to those of other employees and refers, in this respect, to Order No. 246 of 26 May 2012 and Decree No. 308 of 23 July 2002, which provide for wage supplements for nursing personnel working in infectious disease units, X ray units, laboratories and surgical units. The Committee requests the Government to provide in its next report full information on the practical implementation of the abovementioned “Programme for the development of nursing 2012–16”, its concrete results and any follow-up action. It also requests the Government to clarify whether and how representative organizations of nursing personnel have been associated with the preparation of the programme. Furthermore, the Committee requests the Government to submit a copy of Decree No. 319 of 24 June 2008 on improving hospital nursing.

Moreover, the Committee notes the statistical data on the evolution of the number of medical specialists provided by the Government in its latest report. The Committee also notes the Government’s indications according to which, in the period 2010–13, owing to an improvement of working conditions and a salary raise, there has been an influx of nursing specialists into health-care organizations in the country. However, the Committee notes that according to the “Kyrgyzstan health system review” published in 2011 by the European Observatory on health systems and policies, health-care personnel is faced with a number of challenges, for instance the significant decline of the number of health workers per population since the early 1990s, the increased rate of both internal and external migration among health workers, and the low salaries that lead to poor motivation making the profession unattractive for young graduates. According to the same study, the wages of nursing and auxiliary medical personnel reaches slightly more than 50 per cent of the minimum consumer basket. In 2009, there were 517 nurses per 100,000 population which is far below the averages for the Central Asian Republics and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) while almost 50 per cent of nurses are at or close to retirement age. The Committee accordingly requests the Government to provide more detailed information on the situation currently prevailing in the health-care sector, in particular any difficulties encountered in the implementation of the Convention, and to indicate any legislative measures or policy initiatives it intends to take in order to address these challenges.