Evidence for Action:

Highlights

Kyrgyzstan has achieved a significant progress in reducing child mortality during the last 30 years by decreasing it by four-fold since 1992. However, since 2018, progress has stagnated. Newborn mortality (death during first month of life) accounts for 64 percent and infant mortality (death during first one year) accounts for 94% of total under-five mortality today.

Maternal and child mortality rates also vary across oblasts. For example, under-5 mortality is 16.5 per 1,000 live births nationally, but as high as 28.9 in Osh City (above the SDG target).

Only 74.8% of children are fully immunized by their 2nd birthday, only 44% of children are exclusively breastfed children and only 26.2% of children aged 6-23 months meet the minimum diverse diet, while 37% of them are anaemic. This overwhelming situation of malnutrition leads to 14% stunting (short height for their age).

Over 49% of pregnant mothers are anaemic while 80% of reproductive age women suffer from folate deficiency. About 78% of children under the age of five consume sugary drinks which is contributing to the doubling of overweight children since 2014.

While having this status of child health and nutrition, there is a high rate of unnecessary hospitalization due to inadequate disease prevention and underuse of Primary Health Care (PHC). Outpatient care-seeking at PHCs in Kyrgyzstan is the lowest in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region and falling.