Health Care in Central Asia

The five central Asian countries have faced enormous challenges over the last decade in reforming their health care systems, including adverse macro-economic conditions and political instability, drawing on a decade of experience of what has worked and what has not.

Abstract

Central Asia remains one of the least known parts of the former Soviet Union. The five central Asian countries have faced enormous challenges over the last decade in reforming their health care systems, including adverse macro-economic conditions and political instability. Common strategies have involved devolving the ownership of health services, seeking sources of revenue additional to shrinking state taxes, "down-sizing" their excessive hospital systems, introducing general practitioners into primary care services, and enhancing the training of health professionals. This book draws on a decade of experience of what has worked and what has not.