Bishkek, April 21, 2026. /Kabar/. Over the past five years, due to the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kyrgyzstan, as elsewhere in the world, has seen a decline in immunization coverage for children under two years of age. Deputy Health Minister Gulbara Ishenapysova announced at press conference in Kabar news agency.
According to her, this was one of the factors that led to a large-scale measles outbreak in the republic.
"While 7,000 cases were recorded in 2023, the number rose to 14,000 in 2024, and around 8,000 in 2025. However, thanks to strengthened preventive measures and additional immunization campaigns, only 181 cases were recorded in the first three months of 2026, indicating a 42% decrease in incidence compared to the same period last year," she said.
As the Deputy Minister noted, the support of UNICEF, WHO, and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization played a significant role in stabilizing the situation. The country received 1.8 million doses of vaccines in a timely manner, allowing for the successful vaccination of approximately 1 million children.
"Despite the positive trend, efforts to cover the population with vaccinations must continue at an intensified level to prevent new outbreaks of infection," emphasized Gulbara Ishenapyssova.