Improve indoor conditions of public buildings and reduce power cuts thanks to Swiss grant

Local news, 18.12.2020

The Government of Switzerland has allocated a grant in the amount of USD $2.66 million to improve the efficiency and quality of heating system in public buildings in Kyrgyzstan. 

Public hospital in Jalal-Abad oblast of Kyrgyzstan, where indoor conditions will be improved © the Heat Supply Improvement Project, 2020

Most of the public buildings in Kyrgyzstan were built 25-60 years ago. Today, old buildings do not have modern energy efficiency measures, which lead to significant heat losses and inefficient use of fuel resources. The Heat Supply Improvement Project aims to improve access to reliable and efficient heating services and to reduce energy consumption in public buildings in healthcare and education sectors in the regions of Chui, Naryn, Issyk-Kul, Talas, Batken, Osh and Jalal-Abad and in the cities of Bishkek and Osh.

The project will introduce innovative technologies during renovation works, such as isolation of walls, roofs and floors, replacement of windows and external doors, improvement of heating and ventilation systems, hot water supply and lighting, strengthening seismic resistance of buildings.

“The Swiss support will contribute to improve indoor conditions of selected hospitals, polyclinics, kindergartens and schools”, says the Ambassador of Switzerland to the Kyrgyz Republic Véronique Hulmann. “Medical staff and patients, teachers and children, who spend most of their time in these buildings, will benefit from the project. The project will also demonstrate how energy consumption can be reduced and energy problems - such as winter power shortages - be addressed”.

The total budget of the Heat Supply Improvement Project financed by the World Bank and Switzerland amounts US $12.66 million. It has been implemented by ARIS since April 2019 in close partnership with the government of the Kyrgyz Republic.

For more information about the project, please visit the link.

Local news, 12.05.2020

Seven call centres are being launched at Family Medicine Centres in all oblasts of Kyrgyzstan, starting from May 11 to provide remote, timely and qualified medical consultation on prevention of COVID-19 to the population of the country.

Call centres operate through the single information number - 118. Each call centre has 4 operators: 2 nurses and 2 trained residents, who work 12 hours per day: from 8:00 to 20:00.

Daily work of call centres © Swiss project "Medical Education Reform in the Kyrgyz Republic", 2020

Call centres have been launched in Chui and Naryn oblast. Within a week five other call centres will be opened in the other regions to operate throughout the country.

The main goal of the call centers is to reduce hospitalization related to COVID-19 by providing timely and qualified medical consultations to the population. Providing the population with accurate and comprehensive information about the coronavirus and symptom-based remote counselling are essential to reduce the number of visits to health facilities.

When receiving calls from people complaining about symptoms similar to coronavirus, the operators will make a rapid clinical assessment of the patient's condition according to the algorithm and transfer the information to the mobile teams. The mobile teams will then assess the epidemiological situation on site, perform COVID-19 test and hospitalize patients if necessary.

This work is carried out within the Swiss project "Medical Education Reform in the Kyrgyz Republic", which is aimed to ensure quality medical care to the Kyrgyz population provided by well-trained medical personnel. The Government of Switzerland has been financing the heath project since 2013.