Kyrgyzstan Raises Doctors’ Salaries

The First Deputy Minister of Health of Kyrgyzstan, Mederbek Ismailov has newly announced that medical workers' wages will be raised by 10 -50 percent from September this year. Selected specialists will also receive bonuses of up to 20,000 KGS ($220). "The ministry will work directly to raise medics' salaries. We will review tables of staffing and workloads over the past two years and depending on results, may raise salaries," commented a ministry spokesman, adding that the average doctor's salary will rise to 35,000 KGS ($400) after the increase. Local MPs, however, expressed their dissatisfaction with the government's decision, deeming the rises in medical workers' salaries inadequate. "The health minister promised us that doctors would receive 80,000 KGS ($900) each," complained MP Vinera Raimbachayeva.