The Ministry of Health is exploring ways to stimulate medical workers, particularly in remote regions facing shortages in specialties like intensivists and neonatologists. A new regulatory document is in progress to allow hospital directors to offer contracts and additional payments funded by the labor remuneration fund. Currently, employees in remote areas receive bonuses within certain limits set by regulations.
The aim is to enable contracts based on actual workload, as young specialists without seniority or certifications often face lower salaries. The issue of staff shortages is a significant systemic problem, with calculations underway to increase salaries for all healthcare workers, not just doctors.
The timing of salary increases depends on the budget, with estimates suggesting an additional 10 billion soms would be needed to raise salaries by 50% for all medical staff. The country currently lacks around 1,500 doctors.
Amid ongoing administrative reforms, there are discussions about potentially canceling bonuses for healthcare workers in villages being annexed to cities. A transitional period will be necessary to address such scenarios if salary increases are planned for the future.
The recent resignation of five young intensivists-anesthesiologists at the Issyk-Kul Regional United Hospital due to low pay and excessive workloads underscores the urgency of addressing these issues in the healthcare sector.
