Gaining health : analysis of policy development in European ...

2.2.1. General objective 1
An important element in the planned implementation of
the strategy is the mobilization of the local community to
react to problems of health promotion and protection,
and to strengthen village health committees on the basis
of the Jumgal Model developed under the Kyrgyz–Swiss
Health Reform Support Project. This will allow communities
to identify priorities in the health sector, as well as to
undertake certain measures to minimize risks and influence
key health determinants. Nevertheless, there is still a high
level of uncertainty about the sustainability and appropriate
financing of village health committees and other positive
local initiatives.
Objective 1 includes some key actions in this area:
• the development of a population interaction strategy on
issues related to health promotion and disease prevention;
• rendering assistance in the development of different
models of community mobilization on issues of physical
and mental health protection and promotion; and
• improving the interaction of the Ministry of Health with
the population.
The proposed key actions can be interpreted as a step
away from the patronizing political way of thinking, with
special emphasis on public participation and community
mobilization.
2.2.2. General objective 2
A special emphasis on the media is a characteristic feature
of health policy-making in the country. The authors of Manas
Taalimi stress that “broad coverage of issues on disease
prevention, health promotion, development of sanitary–hygienic
skills and other health issues, together with coverage
of important health care problems by the mass media, will
contribute to the development of a health culture and a
more active participation by the population and communities
in activities promoting health” (2). Special emphasis will
be paced on strengthening the press office of the Ministry
of Health and its interaction with all types of media organizations
and NGOs.
It is important for the implementation of the strategy,
however, that this strong emphasis on the media should not
distract from the need for substantive action.
2.2.3. CVD policy in Manas Taalimi
One field of policy development in the strategy is that of
tackling NCD. CVD prevention is an innovative component
of the strategy and is given high priority. According to the
strategy (2):
With a view to the early detection of the most widespread and
socially significant CVD and adequate timely correction of them,
as well as an effective reduction in the prevalence of risk factors
for the emergence of these diseases, it is planned to expand
preventive work through population screening and provision of
training in the basic principles and skills in preventing CVD and
their complications.
Capacity building is a crucial strand of CVD prevention in
Kyrgyzstan and according to the strategy (2):
To improve health services, it is essential to ensure that health
workers are given adequate knowledge and practical skills
related to CVD. This will require ongoing development and the
introduction of continuing education programmes with a view
to training and retraining doctors and nurses on the primary
and secondary prevention of socially significant CVD, methods
of early detection and strategies for evidence-based preventive
and curative interventions at the family level. Efficient of distance
learning methods should be introduced for health workers. The
use of telecommunications technologies will contribute to the
delivery of high-quality health care to populations in remote
regions.
Chapter 4
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Case studies: policy development in countries for tackling noncommunicable diseases