Date of publication:

08/22/2025

Kyrgyzstan

Do domestic laws and policies provide forcibly displaced and stateless persons with disabilities access to care, support and health care services? 

ANALYSIS

Assessment by population

Assessment by population
IDPs
Refugees
Asylum-seekers
Stateless persons
Analysis

The domestic legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic provides persons with disabilities with the right to access health care support and services that comply with international standards and principles enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). These standards are aimed at preventing discrimination on the basis of disability and ensuring equal access to health care services. 

According to Article 21 of the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic "On the Rights and Guarantees of Persons with Disabilities" of April 3, 2008 № 38, persons with disabilities have the right to health care, including disability prevention, health care, rehabilitation, provision of medicines, prosthetic and orthopedic products and mobility aids. These services are provided within the framework of the health care legislation and the State Guarantees Program approved by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic. 

The legislation also identifies types of medical care provided on a guaranteed basis, including: 

- primary health care, 

- specialized medical care, 

- medical rehabilitation, 

- palliative care (Article 23 of the Law "On the Rights and Guarantees of Persons with Disabilities" of April 3, 2008 № 38). 

The state guarantees program establishes free or preferential provision of medical services to certain categories of PWD. In accordance with Article 63 of the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic "On the Protection of Citizens' Health" of January 12, 2024 №14, PWD, including children and people with disabilities from childhood, have the right to receive medicines, prostheses, consumables for maintaining life (for example, materials for people with ostomies) on preferential terms. Rehabilitation and habilitation, professional training and retraining are also provided. 

For disabled PWD, home care services are provided, and in case of inability to meet basic life needs, provision of maintenance in institutions of the social protection system. 

The program of state guarantees for providing citizens with medical and sanitary care, approved by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic dated September 21, 2023 № 493, provides access to medical services for various categories of citizens at the outpatient level and in hospitals free of charge and on preferential terms. 

The categories of citizens entitled to receive medical care free of charge include: 

1. Participants and disabled persons of the Great Patriotic War. 

2. Disabled persons of the Batken events. 

3. Disabled persons of the Soviet Army. 

4. Participants and disabled persons of military operations on the territory of other states. 

The conditions for the provision of specialized psychiatric care in outpatient settings of mental health centers (ADO/KDO) include the following categories of citizens to whom this care is provided free of charge: 

- Internationalist soldiers who became disabled as a result of military service. 

- Participants and persons who became disabled as a result of the liquidation of the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. 

Also, specialized laboratory-diagnostic and consultative-therapeutic care is provided free of charge to the following categories of citizens: 

1. Participants and disabled veterans of the Great Patriotic War, Leningrad blockade survivors, minor prisoners of concentration camps. 

2. Internationalist soldiers who became disabled as a result of military service. 

3. Participants and individuals who became disabled as a result of the liquidation of the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. 

4. Persons with disabilities (PWD) and group I disability, if the disability is established as a result of an industrial injury, professional or general disease. 

In the case of specialized oncological care provided in an inpatient setting, it is provided free of charge to the following categories of citizens: 

1. Participants and disabled veterans of the Great Patriotic War, Leningrad blockade survivors, minor prisoners of concentration camps. 

2. Internationalist soldiers who became disabled as a result of military service. 

3. Participants and persons who became disabled as a result of the liquidation of the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. 

In addition, specialized oncological care is provided subject to a minimum co-payment for the following categories of citizens: 

Persons with disabilities and group I disabilities, if the disability is established as a result of an industrial injury, professional or general disease. 

As for planned specialized hematological care in inpatient settings, it is provided free of charge to the following categories of citizens: 

1. Participants and disabled veterans of the Great Patriotic War, survivors of the siege of Leningrad, minor prisoners of concentration camps. 

2. Internationalist soldiers who became disabled as a result of military service. 

3. Participants and persons who became disabled as a result of the liquidation of the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. 

Persons with disabilities and group I disabilities who have the right to medical assistance for planned specialized cardiac surgery, a co-payment of 50 percent of the cost of the service is provided, but no more than two planned examinations per year. 

According to the legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic, special attention is paid to ensuring the accessibility of infrastructure facilities for people with disabilities. This is due to the creation of conditions for free and safe access of people with disabilities to residential, public and administrative buildings, as well as to public transport and other important facilities. 

- Article 43 of the Law "On the Rights and Guarantees of Persons with Disabilities" of April 3, 2008 № 38 requires state authorities and local administrations to create conditions for people with disabilities, including the accessibility of infrastructure facilities. The obligation is to ensure unimpeded access of people with disabilities to public and private buildings, as well as to communication and information facilities. 

- Article 45 of the Law obliges legal entities, regardless of the form of ownership, to adapt existing social infrastructure facilities for people with disabilities. This includes the requirement for the availability of special ramps, elevators and other devices that allow PWDs to move around and use facilities and services without hindrance. 

- Article 46 of the Law concerns the equipment of vehicles for the needs of PWDs. All transport companies and enterprises providing public transport services are required to equip their vehicles with special devices for PWDs, such as wheelchair lifts and other devices. In addition, when holding tenders for the right to service passenger transportation routes, preference is given to those companies that ensure the accessibility of their vehicles for PWDs. 

Moreover, the State creates conditions for ensuring access of the rural population to medical care at all levels of healthcare. Within this framework, access to health promotion, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation services is ensured. For this purpose, various forms of medical care are used in rural areas, such as family doctor groups, feldsher-midwife stations, emergency medical care, mobile medical complexes, as well as means for the provision of remote medical services. In this case, when planning the volume of medical care for rural areas, such factors as geographical remoteness, population density, demographic characteristics and other features affecting the availability of medical services are taken into account. These measures are aimed at creating a system that ensures equal opportunities for receiving quality medical care for all citizens, regardless of their place of residence (Article 39 of the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic "On the Protection of Citizens' Health") of January 12, 2024 №14. 

The domestic legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic implements the norms of the CRPD aimed at ensuring equal access of PWDs to medical services. Non-discrimination on the basis of disability is guaranteed, which is guaranteed by Article 24 of the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic, and medical care is provided at the highest accessible level, including in rural areas. 

The laws of the Kyrgyz Republic effectively ensure the rights of PWDs to access support and health care services, including medical and sanitary care, rehabilitation and social support. These measures comply with the requirements of the CRPD, emphasizing the state's obligations to eliminate discrimination and provide equal access to health services for all citizens, including persons with disabilities. 

 

    LAW & POLICY

    Related provisions of domestic law or policy

    The Law on the Rights and Guarantees of Persons with Disabilities

    Legal provision

    Article 21 - Guarantees for the Protection of Health of Persons with Disabilities

    Persons with disabilities have the right to health protection, disability prevention, medical and sanitary care, rehabilitation, provision of medicines, prosthetic and orthopedic products and individual means of transportation in accordance with the legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic in the field of health care, as well as the program of state guarantees for the provision of citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic with medical and sanitary care, approved by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic.

    Article 23 - Types of Medical and Sanitary Care

    In accordance with the legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic in the field of health care, the state guarantees the following types of medical and sanitary care: - primary medical and sanitary care; - specialized medical care; - medical and social care; - medical rehabilitation; - medical examination; - palliative care.

    Article 43 - Guarantees of access for persons with disabilities to infrastructure facilities and transport communications

    Government bodies, local state administrations and local government bodies, legal entities regardless of their form of ownership are obliged to create conditions for persons with disabilities to access residential, public, administrative and industrial buildings, structures and premises, recreation areas and other cultural and entertainment institutions, as well as unimpeded use of public transport and transport communications, means of communication and information, free orientation and movement.

    Article 44 - Requirements for the design and construction of facilities

    The design and development of populated areas, the formation of residential areas, the development of design solutions, the construction and reconstruction of buildings, structures, including airports, railway stations, complexes and communications, must be carried out taking into account the adaptation of these objects and means for access and use by persons with disabilities. When designing residential, public, industrial buildings and structures, the possibilities of their use by persons with disabilities, including those moving with the help of wheelchairs or other assistive devices and devices, must be taken into account. Commissioning of these facilities is not allowed without the participation of representatives of social protection agencies and public organizations of persons with disabilities in the state acceptance committee.

    Article 45 - Adaptation of infrastructure facilities to the needs of persons with disabilities

    Legal entities, regardless of their form of ownership, are obliged to provide the necessary conditions at infrastructure facilities in their ownership or management for access by persons with disabilities. Existing social infrastructure facilities must be adapted for access and use by persons with disabilities in the manner and on the terms determined respectively by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic and local governments with the participation of public organizations of persons with disabilities.

    The Law of Kyrgyz Republic on the Protection of Citizens' Health

    Legal provision

    Article 63 - Rights of Persons with Disabilities (PWD)

    1. PWD, including children with disabilities and people with disabilities from childhood, have the right to medical and sanitary care, rehabilitation and habilitation, provision of medicines, prostheses, prosthetic and orthopedic products, mobility aids, consumables for artificial lung ventilation, consumables for people with ostomies (gastrostomy, tracheostomy, colostomy) on preferential terms, as well as professional training and retraining. 2. Disabled PWD have the right to receive medical and sanitary care in healthcare organizations within the framework of the State Guarantees Program, home care, and in case of inability to meet basic life needs - to be maintained in institutions of the social protection system. 3. The procedure for providing medical and sanitary assistance to persons with disabilities and the list of benefits for them are determined by the legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic in the field of healthcare, basic state and compulsory medical insurance.