According to the decree, the Kyrgyz State Medical Academy named after I.K. Akhunbaev has been granted the status of a system-forming state university, endowed with exclusive rights to train specialists with higher medical and pharmaceutical education, as well as to retrain and upgrade the qualifications of medical personnel.
Changes in the Education System
Mandatory accreditation is introduced for all medical and pharmaceutical educational programs, including secondary, higher, postgraduate, and additional education. Educational institutions that do not pass accreditation will not be able to enroll students or issue state-recognized diplomas.
According to the new regulations, a state franchise system is being created, within which private medical educational institutions will be required to operate through the system-forming state university. This implies the use of state educational programs, teaching materials, and standards, as well as methodological and academic control by the main university.
Government bodies will more actively monitor the quality of specialist training. The powers for licensing, supervision, and evaluation of educational organizations are transferred to the relevant Ministry of Health.
Organization of the Education System
Educational institutions without accreditation will be deprived of the opportunity to conduct training in medical and pharmaceutical specialties. Private educational institutions that receive accreditation will be required to enter into an agreement with the system-forming university, which will take control of the educational process.
The Ministry of Health will monitor and evaluate the quality of training for doctors and pharmacists. Only those organizations that obtain a license from the state health authority will be able to engage in educational activities in the field of medicine and pharmacy.
Internship and residency programs will be implemented only by accredited educational and clinical institutions. Upon completion of the practice, graduates will be awarded the corresponding qualification.
The new rules also establish requirements for the material and technical equipment of private medical educational institutions and clarify the powers of government bodies in the regulation of medical education. The Cabinet of Ministers must align its regulatory acts with the new law within three months.
Text of the Law
Article 1
Amend the law of the Kyrgyz Republic "On the Licensing and Permitting System in the Kyrgyz Republic" (Bulletin of the Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrgyz Republic, 2013, No. 9, Art. 990):
1) Part 1 of Article 31 is supplemented by point 10 as follows:
“10) failure of an educational organization implementing programs in the healthcare sector to pass state accreditation.”;
2) Article 32 is rephrased as follows:
“Article 32. Termination of License and/or Permit
The license and/or permit is annulled by the court at the request of the licensor in case the reasons for which the license was suspended are not eliminated, except for educational activities in the field of medical and pharmaceutical education.”
Article 2
Amend the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic "On Science" (newspaper "Erkin-Too" dated August 15, 2023, No. 65):
1) In Article 9:
a) Part 1 is rephrased as follows:
“1. Scientific organizations are legal entities engaged in scientific activities in accordance with the legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic, except for those engaged in scientific activities in the field of healthcare. Scientific organizations may conduct research in the field of healthcare only after passing mandatory state accreditation.”;
b) The first paragraph of Part 4 is rephrased as follows:
“4. To ensure the quality of scientific activities, organizations are subject to state certification, except for those engaged in scientific activities in the field of healthcare.”;
2) In Article 19:
a) Point 1 is rephrased as follows:
“1) formation of state policy in the field of science and scientific activity, except for organizations engaged in training personnel in the field of healthcare;”;
b) Points 16 and 17 are rephrased as follows:
“16) determination of the procedure for conducting state certification/accreditation of scientific and technical organizations, except for scientific organizations engaged in training personnel in the field of healthcare;
17) determination of the procedure for appointing and dismissing heads of scientific organizations engaged in training personnel in the field of healthcare;”.
Article 3
Amendments to the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic "On Education" (newspaper "Erkin-Too" dated August 18, 2023, No. 66):
1) In Article 3:
a) Add point 15¹ as follows:
“15¹) state accreditation of medical educational organizations — recognition by the authorized body of compliance of educational services with established requirements and criteria;”;
b) Add point 45¹ as follows:
“45¹) educational franchise — a system within which a state educational organization grants a non-state organization the right to conduct educational activities using its materials and standards;”;
2) In Article 13:
a) Point 1 is rephrased as follows:
“1) formation of state policy in the field of education, except for training programs in the field of healthcare;”;
b) Point 8 is rephrased as follows:
“8) monitoring and evaluation of the quality of formal education in accordance with established requirements;”;
3) Article 17 is supplemented by Part 8 as follows:
“8. Non-state medical educational organizations that have passed accreditation are required to enter into an agreement with the system-forming state educational organization regarding the provision of an educational franchise or administration of the educational process.”;
4) Part 6 of Article 18 is supplemented by the following sentence: “The charter of the system-forming state educational organization is approved by the founder in accordance with the established legislative procedure.”;
5) Parts 5 and 7 of Article 22 are supplemented by the word “healthcare,”;
6) In Article 23:
a) Point 2 of Part 2 is rephrased as follows:
“2) state educational organizations implementing higher education programs, except for those engaged in educational activities in the field of healthcare;”;
b) Add Part 6 as follows:
“6. Licenses for the right to conduct educational activities in the field of healthcare are issued by the authorized body.”;
7) In Article 24:
a) Add Part 1¹ as follows:
“1¹. Educational organizations implementing programs in the field of healthcare undergo mandatory accreditation.”;
b) Part 2 is rephrased as follows:
“2. Educational organizations, except for those engaged in programs in the field of healthcare, have the right to independently choose the accreditation agency.”;
8) Article 29 is supplemented by Part 4¹ as follows:
“4¹. An educational organization with system-forming status has the right to:
prepare specialists with higher medical and pharmaceutical education;
provide services for managing the educational process in the field of medicine and pharmacy.
9) The third paragraph of Part 5 of Article 57 is rephrased as follows:
“State educational organizations have the right to manage their property in agreement with the board of trustees.”;
10) Article 59 is supplemented by Part 12 as follows:
“12. Private educational organizations engaged in activities in the field of healthcare are required to have the necessary property under ownership rights.”.
Article 4
Amendments to the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic "On the Protection of Citizens' Health" (newspaper "Erkin-Too" dated January 19, 2024, No. 5):
1) Part 1 of Article 10 is supplemented by points 20 and 21:
“20) formation of state policy on educational programs in the field of healthcare;
21) control over the quality of training of medical personnel.”;
2) Article 18 is rephrased as follows:
“Article 18. Medical and Pharmaceutical Education
The authorized body issues licenses to educational organizations working in the field of healthcare.
Training of medical workers is carried out based on state orders and monitoring of personnel in healthcare.
Educational organizations may implement programs in the field of healthcare after accreditation.
Quality control of medical personnel training is carried out by the authorized body based on accreditation.
The appointment of heads of educational organizations is carried out in accordance with established rules.
Coordination of scientific research and personnel training is carried out in the manner established by the Cabinet of Ministers.”;
3) Part 1 of Article 19 is rephrased as follows:
“1. Educational activities in the field of healthcare are carried out based on state accreditation.”;
4) In Article 155:
a) Part 2 is supplemented by the word “, postgraduate”;
b) Part 3 is rephrased as follows:
“3. Acquisition of additional knowledge and skills by healthcare specialists is carried out based on licensing and accreditation.”;
5) In Article 156:
a) Part 1 is rephrased as follows:
“1. Internship is carried out in accredited educational organizations and clinics designated by the authorized body.”;
b) The third paragraph of Part 2 is rephrased as follows:
“Residency programs are also determined by accredited educational organizations.”.
Article 5
This law comes into force ten days after its official publication.
The Cabinet of Ministers is instructed to align its regulatory acts with the new law within three months.
President of the Kyrgyz Republic S. Japarov
