It is proposed to close psychiatric hospitals with inhuman conditions in Kyrgyzstan

An expanded meeting of the Coordination Council of the National Center for the Prevention of Torture was held in Bishkek on October 12 with the participation of parliament members, representatives of the Ombudsman’s Office, the Ministry of Health and Social Development, the Mandatory Medical Insurance Fund, the Soros Foundation-Kyrgyzstan, the EU Delegation in the Kyrgyz Republic, the OSCE Program Office and other international organizations.

The participants of the meeting considered the results of a special study by the National Center for the Prevention of Torture on the analysis and assessment of measures taken by psychiatric hospitals to prepare and respond to COVID-19 in the current epidemiological situation in the country, as well as to discuss and adopt recommendations for the findings of the study.

The work of the National Center for the Prevention of Torture is based on conducting preventive visits to places of deprivation and restraint of liberty. Based on the results of these visits, specialists develop recommendations aimed at preventing the facts of torture and ill-treatment of people. These instructions are received by state bodies, the heads of which must provide a report on the measures taken on the recommendations sent within a month. The meeting held in Bishkek became a vivid example of how in practice human rights and international organizations, civil society, and state bodies should work in a coordinated, transparent, and open manner on the prevention of torture.

Director of the National Center for the Prevention of Torture Bakyt Rysbekov said that the report of the experts of the National Center for the Prevention of Torture of the Kyrgyz Republic is based on the study of the conditions of detention of patients in five large psychiatric hospitals of the republic.

“Based on the results of the visits, the representatives of the center have developed several key recommendations. Thus, a systematic transfer of closed psychiatric institutions to open ones with adequate conditions for rest and work is proposed. Treatment is recommended in hospitals located as close as possible to their place of residence. It is important to develop a system of social and labor rehabilitation and adaptation of guests of psychiatric clinics in full compliance with the principle of voluntary participation in labor. It is necessary to close certain hospitals with inhuman conditions of detention (in particular, this situation is developing in a psychiatric hospital in the village of Kyzyl-Zhar of Jalal-Abad region), as well as to strengthen control over strict observance of the rights and freedoms of patients, ” noted the head of the National Center of Kyrgyzstan for prevention of torture.

He also added that during a pandemic, the national center recommended attracting an epidemiologist to develop measures to improve infection safety in psychiatric hospitals. And, in particular, the Ministry of Health and Social Development has fulfilled this point.

In general, according to Bakyt Rysbekov, there are improvements in some closed institutions, but it is not yet necessary to say that the situation has changed dramatically and patients’ rights are observed in all hospitals.

In their report, representatives of the Ministry of Health and Social Development reported on the measures of response to the instructions of the experts of the National Center.

As the Deputy Minister of Health and Social Development Jalalidin Rakhmatullayev noted, some recommendations require more time and resources for implementation. Nevertheless, the Ministry of Health and Social Development took them into account and is open to cooperation.

The chief specialist of the Federal Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund Ainur Mamasheva explained that to fulfill the recommendations of the National Center for the Prevention of Torture, a working group was created with the provision of methodological assistance and, together with the staff of the Republican Center for Mental Health, a response plan was developed.

“Many points did not require financial costs. All that was needed was the political will and active work of the staff of the Republican Center for Mental Health, ”the specialist noted.

She stressed that in this system, the patient should be at the forefront. It is important that he/ she receives full medical care, including psychiatric assistance, so that everything possible is done for his socialization and that he/she is not cut off from his family.

After a cross-check, the recommendations of the National Center for the Prevention of Torture will be sent to parliament for consideration. The deputy of the Jogorku Kenesh and member of the Coordination Council, Asel Koduranova, who was present at the meeting, said that the parliament would hear the report of the National Center. Based on the results of the discussions, the parliamentarians will issue a resolution that is binding on ministries and departments.