Kyrgyzstan and the United States Discuss New Memorandum of Understanding on Health Cooperation

Kyrgyz Health Minister Kanebek Dosmambetov and U.S. Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Leslie Vigley met in Bishkek, reaffirming their shared desire to expand cooperation in the field of health. The U.S. side proposed a new memorandum of understanding to outline priorities for the coming years.

This meeting comes at a crucial time as the two countries' health cooperation enters its 40th year. The U.S. Ambassador noted that cooperation in the health field began in the mid-1990s and covers multiple projects including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis prevention and control, and public health security.

01 Cooperation History and Global Context

Kyrgyzstan and the United States have a nearly 30-year history of health cooperation. According to records from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United States began cooperating with the Kyrgyz government in 1995 to strengthen disease detection and prevention capabilities in Central Asia.

In 2011, the United States began operations in Kyrgyzstan through the Presidential Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Under this cooperation framework, the U.S. CDC supported the Kyrgyz Ministry of Health in establishing 26 National AIDS Centers, providing care and treatment services to over 4,150 people living with HIV.

Kyrgyzstan currently has an HIV prevalence rate of approximately 0.3% (2023 data) and a tuberculosis incidence rate of 112 cases per 100,000 people. These public health challenges require continued international cooperation and resource investment.

The cooperation between the United States and Kyrgyzstan is a microcosm of global health diplomacy in Central Asia. This cooperation concerns both disease prevention and control and the overall strengthening of the health system.

02 Three Priority Areas of the New Memorandum

The three key areas that the U.S. plans to focus on in the new memorandum form the core framework of the cooperation. The first is providing services and medicines to people living with HIV. The U.S. CDC has achieved a 98% antiretroviral therapy retention rate in Kyrgyzstan (fiscal year 2024), and the viral suppression rate has increased from 44% to 95%.

The second is supporting the National Tuberculosis Control Program. Tuberculosis is a significant public health issue in Kyrgyzstan, and the co-infection of HIV and tuberculosis requires specialized management. Current data shows that the success rate of tuberculosis treatment in Kyrgyzstan is 83% (2022).

Thirdly, strengthening public health emergency preparedness is crucial. This area is particularly urgent. Since 2019, the World Health Organization and USAID have conducted a series of simulation exercises in Kyrgyzstan, including a public health emergency drill at Manas International Airport.

These priority areas reflect Kyrgyzstan's most pressing public health needs and align with the United States' expertise in global health security.

03 Specific Cooperation Initiatives and Implementation Paths

In addition to defining the strategic direction, the talks also discussed specific cooperation initiatives. Currently, both sides are developing plans to build a medical park in Bishkek and considering the procurement of modern medical and laboratory equipment, potentially including products from leading US manufacturers.

The construction of the medical park represents a shift in healthcare cooperation from single projects to systematic collaboration. This model not only concentrates resources but also generates a synergistic effect, attracting more international partners.

Kyrgyzstan intends to send professionals to the United States for internships and further training. Talent exchange and training are crucial for the long-term capacity building of the health system. Historical experience shows that training local medical personnel has a more lasting impact than temporary external aid.

Furthermore, in 2018, the United States provided Kyrgyzstan with $300,000 worth of palliative care medical equipment and supplies, which were distributed to four hospitals nationwide. This model of combining material assistance with technical support is likely to continue and expand under the new memorandum of understanding.

04 Comparison of International Cooperation Models and Kyrgyzstan's Multi-faceted Strategy

Kyrgyzstan adopts a multilateral cooperation strategy in the field of healthcare. In addition to its historical cooperation with the United States, Kyrgyzstan actively engages in healthcare cooperation with other countries.

In July 2023, Chinese Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Du Dewen met with Kyrgyz Minister of Health Batrovova, and the two exchanged views on deepening Sino-Kyrgyz cooperation in the health sector. In September of that year, China launched the "Health Express International Brightness Journey" in Kyrgyzstan, providing free cataract surgery to 600 Kyrgyz patients.

In April 2025, a delegation from Qilu Medical College of Shandong University visited Kyrgyzstan and signed a memorandum of understanding with the Kyrgyz National Medical College and its affiliated hospitals, reaching important consensus on issues such as joint talent training and integration of educational resources.

In the field of reproductive medicine, the Kyrgyzstan-US Reproductive Medicine Center (IRMC) has become a successful example of trilateral medical cooperation between China, the US, and Kyrgyzstan. Integrating US technology, Chinese management efficiency, and local Kyrgyz support, the center is the only reproductive medicine institution in Central Asia with "dual certification."

This diversified cooperation strategy allows Kyrgyzstan to access expertise and resources from different countries, avoiding over-reliance on a single partner.

05 Future Prospects and Global Significance

In his concluding remarks, the Kyrgyz Minister of Health emphasized that Kyrgyzstan is committed to building constructive and mutually beneficial partnerships. All cooperation initiatives will be prudently advanced within the framework of existing legal procedures and with consideration for the sustainability of the healthcare system.

The continued development of US-Kyrgyzstan healthcare cooperation reflects new trends in global health governance. Middle-income countries are seeking more equitable and sustainable models of international cooperation in the face of public health challenges.

This model transcends traditional donor-recipient relationships, emphasizing technology transfer, system building, and local capacity building. Kyrgyzstan's successful cooperation in reproductive medicine demonstrates that combining international technology with local implementation capabilities can yield significant results.

With the completion of inter-sectoral consultations on the draft memorandum of understanding within Kyrgyzstan, and the assessment of its financial, legal, tax, customs, and institutional aspects, this cooperation framework will inject new momentum into the modernization of Kyrgyzstan's healthcare system.

As the draft memorandum of understanding undergoes inter-sectoral consultations within Kyrgyzstan, parties are assessing its financial, legal, tax, customs, and institutional aspects. Upon completion of the assessment, the document will be formally returned to the US.

The cooperation model is shifting from "blood transfusion" aid to "blood-generating" cooperation. During its visit to Kyrgyzstan, a delegation from Qilu Hospital of Shandong University focused on promoting this transformation and upgrading of medical aid models from "blood transfusion" to "blood-generating," establishing a new model of sustainable cooperation.

The future of global health security will increasingly depend on this multi-layered, multi-stakeholder collaborative network. The interactions among countries within this network will not only influence the effectiveness of disease prevention and control but will also reshape the global health governance landscape in the 21st century.