Strengthening primary health care (PHC) financing to achieve health-related Sustainable Development Goals was the focus of a meeting attended by Kyrgyzstan’s Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Bakyt Dzhangaziev; WHO Special Representative in Kyrgyzstan, Dr Shahin Huseynov; and UNICEF Representative in Kyrgyzstan, Ms Christine Jaulmes. Participants called for increased investments in PHC to reduce overall health care costs in the country, such as hospital-based and tertiary-level care.
PHC is widely recognized as a cornerstone in achieving universal health coverage and health for all. Investment in PHC brings a high economic return. A recent PHC costing exercise in Maldives, supported by UNICEF, demonstrated a return of US$ 16 for every dollar spent. This is also the case for antenatal, postnatal, and child health care.
“In Kyrgyzstan, PHC is one of the priorities. It is prioritized in the health strategy for 2019 –2030 ‘Healthy person – prosperous country’, which aims to protect health and ensure the population has access to essential quality services. The primary health care system provides universal comprehensive access to the full range of medical services that people need for their health and well-being, thereby increasing their level of coverage and financial protection,” stated Dr Bakyt Dzhangaziev, the Deputy Minister of Health.
WHO recommendations
WHO-recommended policy options to strengthen PHC financing, based on international evidence, aim at improving health outcomes and increasing value for money for the public. According to Dr Shahin Huseynov, acting Head of the WHO Country Office in Kyrgyzstan, "Kyrgyzstan, with WHO support, has been continuously making efforts to grant universal access to basic PHC services for the entire population. Realistic and sustainable financing is an enabling factor in strengthening PHC so that it can function as a gatekeeper for an integrated, people-centred health service delivery system in Kyrgyzstan.”
WHO recommends strengthening PHC financing by reviewing the PHC benefit package to better align it with population health needs and the available level of public funding. WHO also suggests redesigning the PHC provider payment system and improving provider monitoring mechanisms. Additionally, the PHC organizational model needs to be enhanced to increase equity and efficiency.
Jointly with international and national experts, UNICEF conducted an assessment looking at ways to reduce the cost of health services for patients and make them more affordable for low‐income families. “Preliminary results in Kyrgyzstan suggest that an investment cost of 0.33% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) over 20 years would generate economic benefits valued at 2.9% of GDP over the same period,” said Christine Jaulmes, UNICEF Representative in Kyrgyzstan.