In recent years, Kyrgyzstan has demonstrated steady progress in expanding access to diagnosis and treatment, improving patient outcomes, and strengthening trust in the healthcare system. In 2025, UNDP continued to support this positive trajectory, contributing to a more inclusive, resilient, and people-centered health system aligned with national priorities, SDG 3, and the “Healthy Person – Prosperous Country” programme.

Working in close partnership with the Ministry of Health, the national tuberculosis programme, and civil society organizations, UNDP focused on addressing systemic bottlenecks, from workforce shortages to limited access for vulnerable populations, while ensuring the continuity of essential health services.

One of the key challenges remains the shortage of healthcare workers, particularly at the primary healthcare level. To address this, UNDP supported community-based organizations in delivering TB prevention services, facilitating active case finding, and providing patient-centered care and treatment support. In 2025, more than 16,000 people from high-risk groups and TB contacts were screened, 4,500 presumptive TB cases were identified, 95 active TB cases were confirmed, and 188 other lung diseases were diagnosed. These results highlight the critical role of community-based services in reaching populations often left behind by traditional healthcare systems.

Equally important has been support for treatment adherence. More than 1,900 TB patients received continuous follow-up and assistance, including monthly incentives that helped reduce treatment interruptions. This approach not only improves individual health outcomes but also reduces transmission risks while easing the burden on overstretched primary healthcare facilities.

Ensuring uninterrupted access to life-saving medicines and diagnostics remains a cornerstone of this progress. For more than 14 years, UNDP has supported Kyrgyzstan in securing continuous access to WHO-prequalified second-line TB medicines, antiretroviral therapy, and diagnostic reagents. In 2025, this support remained critical for national health security. Through robust forecasting, procurement, and inventory management systems, stockouts have been prevented, and high standards of quality and safety have been maintained across the supply chain.

“UNDP is a reliable strategic partner that responds swiftly to emergencies and delivers sustainable solutions. We particularly felt this support in 2024–2025, when joint efforts helped resolve the issue of respirator supply despite the absence of registered products in the country,” said Natalya Salikova, Chief Infection Control Nurse at the Kara-Balta Tuberculosis Hospital.

At the facility level, significant improvements have been achieved in infection prevention and control. The provision of FFP3 respirators—previously unavailable in Kyrgyzstan—has strengthened protection for healthcare workers, while ultraviolet air disinfection lamps and upgraded equipment have contributed to safer clinical environments and reduced the risk of hospital-acquired infections.

These achievements have been made possible thanks to the sustained financial support of the Global Fund, which played a key role in ensuring the continuity of vital services and strengthening the national system for combating HIV and TB.

UNDP also supported the modernization of laboratory systems, the introduction of AI-based solutions, and the assessment of health-sector IT infrastructure. These efforts are laying the foundation for a more integrated, data-driven health system—enabling faster diagnosis, improved case management, strengthened surveillance, and evidence-based decision-making across the TB care continuum. Efforts to digitalize the health system are being implemented through the UN Joint Programme “Bridging the Digital Health Divide,” launched in 2024 under the coordination of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office and implemented by WHO, UNDP, UNICEF, and UNFPA, with funding from the Joint SDG Fund, the European Union, and the governments of 16 Member States, including Spain and Sweden.

This national progress closely aligns with the global theme of World TB Day 2026 — “Yes! We can end TB!”. It is a bold call to action and a message of hope, affirming that even in a challenging global environment, it is possible to accelerate progress and reverse the course of the epidemic. Kyrgyzstan’s experience shows that with strong government leadership, sustained investments, rapid adoption of innovations, and effective multisectoral collaboration, ending TB is not only aspirational—it is achievable.

Building on these results, UNDP will continue to support Kyrgyzstan in advancing toward a future where tuberculosis is no longer a public health threat—through stronger systems, empowered communities, and a continued focus on people at the center of care.