About 11 percent of the population suffers from mental disorders in Kyrgyzstan. UN News reports, citing the Minister of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic, Erkin Checheybaev.
According to him, the population suffers from various disorders, ranging from anxiety, depression, suicidal risk, and also has addictions to alcohol, tobacco, and psychoactive substances.
Therefore, for the first time in many years, Kyrgyzstan is developing a national strategy specifically for mental health.
«Historically, in Kyrgyzstan, as in many post-Soviet countries, this issue was stigmatized. Seeking help from a psychiatric clinic was considered something out of the ordinary. But now, by integrating these services into primary care, we are trying to bring them as close to the population as possible. This is how we are introducing multidisciplinary teams, where, in addition to a family doctor, there is a psychiatrist, psychologist, and visiting nurse,» Erkin Checheybaev said.
He noted that psychiatric clinics are in need of renovation. More hospital beds are needed.
«The number of patients with such problems is growing every year and will continue to do so. WHO forecasts indicate that the incidence of mental disorders will only increase. In our currently turbulent world, when people have to make approximately 300-400 decisions a day, this leads to disorders such as anxiety, depression, and burnout. Therefore, we are developing a national strategy through 2030 to develop mental health services to reduce stigma. We are working closely with international partners,» the Minister of Health added.
