This year marked the 25th anniversary since the OMI began hosting fellows from Kyrgyzstan. The first two Kyrgyz fellows attended an OMI seminar in January of 1996, and the OMI has been welcoming doctors from Kyrgyzstan ever since. More than 430 fellows have attended the OMI seminars and 54 observerships were granted to doctors from Kyrgyzstan. 68 out of 432 OMI fellows from Kyrgyzstan work in leadership positions in the country’s healthcare system, ranging from chiefs of departments, hospital directors, executive directors of associations, to directors of private clinics.
To celebrate this milestone and accomplishment, three different institutions hosted a variety of clinical master classes, lectures, and presentations for a local audience of healthcare professionals. The celebration took place on four different days throughout October and November and involved more than 130 young doctors. Prof. Aulitzky, CEO of the OMI, was part of each event and attended the celebrations via livestream. In order to support the organization of this elaborate celebration, the OMI contributed a financial donation.
The opening ceremony took place on October 19, 2021 at the Kyrgyz State Medical Academy. Several clinical lectures were held by OMI fellows regarding the state of medical care in Kyrgyzstan and the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had. The day was completed by a master class in cardiology.
On October 26, 2021, Osh State University hosted an event featuring many inspirational stories about the personal success of OMI alumni, as well as clinical lectures about the development of cardiac surgery in Kyrgyzstan. A highlight was the signing of the memorandum of understanding between Osh State University, Faculty of Medicine and the Open Medical Institute, intended to further integrate Kyrgyz physicians into the OMI global network. Through the memorandum, Osh State University, Faculty of Medicine became an official partner in the OMI’s educational program which is designed to improve healthcare in countries in transition and help prevent brain drain.
The third event was held at the National Center for Mothers and Child Health Care on November 3, 2021. The focus was mainly on improving healthcare available to children in Kyrgyzstan, but the day also included a masterclass on knee arthroscopy.
To complete the celebration, a roundtable on the results was held on November 5, 2021. Prof. Aulitzky was awarded the certificate of honor of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Kyrgyz Republic. After an eventful day full of fruitful discussions, the outstanding success was concluded with a dinner.
We would like to say a special thank you to our local coordinator in Kyrgyzstan, Dr. Lola Asanalieva, for organizing this four-day-long celebration and for her incredible work supporting the OMI community and providing excellent guidance to applicants throughout the years. Dr. Lola Asanalieva attended an OMI seminar for the first time in 2002 and has been the OMI local country coordinator in Kyrgyzstan since 2004. Thank you for organizing such an amazing event and thank you to everyone who participated with their interesting stories and lectures. Due to her excellent work, Dr. Asanalieva was presented with a Certificate of honor for the development of healthcare in Kyrgyzstan. Congratulations!
Dr. Lola Asanalieva also organised a flashmob dedicated to human solidarity around the world during COVID-19. You can watch the full video here:
