Kyrgyzstan, home to towering mountains and rolling plains, is one of the OMI’s target regions. The healthcare system of the landlocked country is still developing and in rural regions, the access to doctors is often limited. For an OMI visiting professorship, Dr. Wolfgang Aulitzky, CEO of the Open Medical Institute, flew to Kyrgyzstan from May 13-14, 2024. He educated local urologists, spread the word about the OMI program and its benefits, as well as reunited with OMI alumni in the cities of Bishkek and Osh.
On May 13, Dr. Aulitzky visited Ala-Too International University, Faculty of Medicine in Bishkek where he met with the institution’s Vice Rectors and held a presentation about the OMI to 43 interested doctors. Following this visit, Dr. Aulitzky’s next stop was the Republican Urology Center. Dr. Aulitzky, a urologist himself, was pleased to catch up with the Director and President of the Association of Urologists of the Kyrgyz Republic, Dr. Akylbek Usupbaev. After the meeting, the OMI CEO held an educational lecture on male infertility, which was attended by doctors, residents, and medical students.
After a busy morning, the cheerful gathering of 17 OMI alumni from the Bishkek, Chui, and Issyk-Kul regions, was a pleasant change of pace. The day concluded with another fellow reunion in the evening where 30 alumni were present. During dinner, fellows presented Dr. Aulitzky with a Letter of Gratitude from the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, Mr. Akylbek Japarov, for OMI’s invaluable contribution to the development of the country’s healthcare and the many years of support for Kyrgyz doctors through their training at OMI seminars and observerships. This esteemed gift symbolizes the recognition of the activities of the Open Medical Institute by the government of Kyrgyzstan. Fellows also presented a certificate of donation of $2,600, raised by Kyrgyzstan’s alumni as part of the initiative “Support the OMI during its 30th Anniversary”. Both of these tokens were highly appreciated by Dr. Aulitzky and the OMI!
The second day of the trip to Kyrgyzstan was just as eventful as the first! It started with a visit to Osh State University, where Dr. Aulitzky enjoyed a pleasant meeting with Rector Mr. Kudaiberdi Kojobekov. A tour of the campus of the Faculty of Medicine and the University Clinic of Osh State University were planned next. While there, Dr. Aulitzky held a presentation about the OMI’s mission to 58 attendees, including teachers from different faculties of Osh State University and doctors from different medical institutions. Subsequently, the meeting with OMI alumni led to interesting discussions about the impact of the OMI program on the development of healthcare in Kyrgyzstan, as well as the fellows’ achievements, and their plans for the future. The meeting was attended by 11 graduates from Osh and the Osh region.
We would like to extend our special thanks to Dr. Lola Asanalieva, who is not only Chief of the Board of the Public Union “Open Medical Community” but also our OMI Local Coordinator in Kyrgyzstan, for organizing this visiting professorship!