Drug prices may rise in Kyrgyzstan

Bishkek, March 14, 2022. / Kabar /. Drug prices may increase in Kyrgyzstan, Director of the Department of Medicines and Medical Devices Nurdin Kagazdiev said during a meeting of the Committee on Social Policy of the Jogorku Kenesh on Monday. He added that there is currently no shortage of medicines in the country. "Today, suppliers have a necessary stock of drugs for 2-3 months. Also we have developed and sent for approval a draft "List of essential medicines and medical products", under which there will be a direct supply of medicines. However, the prices of drugs may increase due to dollar rate growth,” Kagazdiev said. Meanwhile, the specialist pointed out that work is being done to prevent an increase in drug prices. "It is planned to introduce price regulation for the next 5 months. This is due to the fact that there are no state pharmacies in the Kyrgyz Republic. If it's unprofitable for pharmaceutical companies to bring in drugs, they will stop supplying it,” he noted. In turn, Deputy Minister of Health Zhalalidin Rakhmatulaev said that Kyrgyzstan imports 5% of Ukrainian-made drugs and 16% of Russian-made. He also explained that for an uninterrupted supply of vital and scarce medicines it is necessary to create a state institution or an organization that will deal directly with the procurement.