The Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (President Ha Il-soo, hereinafter referred to as KOFIH) attended the “Opening Ceremony of the National Infectious Diseases Hospital Simulation Center in Kyrgyzstan” held in Bishkek, the capital of the Kyrgyz Republic, on Friday, September 5.

This opening is an achievement pursued as part of the KOFIH's ongoing Official Development Assistance (ODA) project, the “Operation and Management Consulting for the Training Simulation Centre in the Republican Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital in the Kyrgyz Republic (2023-2026, total 2.5 billion KRW)”. As Kyrgyzstan's first medical simulation training facility, the center aims to strengthen local infectious disease response capabilities by training dedicated instructors responsible for teaching essential skills such as infection control, emergency care, and critical care treatment.

Alongside the center's opening, KOFIH will undertake ▲infrastructure renovation and equipment support for the simulation center ▲training of dedicated instructors, and ▲development of operational management guidelines and educational materials, thereby promoting a qualitative improvement in infectious disease response system in the Kyrgyz Republic.

President Ha Il-soo stated, “Strengthening the capabilities of medical personnel is paramount for improving healthcare standards,” adding, “This simulation center, linked to the National Infectious Disease Hospital to be expanded with support from the Export-Import Bank of Korea, will further enhance Kyrgyzstan's infectious disease response capabilities.”

The opening ceremony was attended by key Kyrgyz officials, including Nurlanbek Shakiev, Speaker of the Parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic, and Erkin Chechebaev, Minister of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic. From the Korean side, Ambassador Kim Kwang-jae to Kyrgyzstan, President Cho Myeong Woo of Inha University, and President and CEO Lee Tack of Inha University Medical Center participated, sharing the achievements of bilateral cooperation.

KOFIH will continue to strengthen the healthcare capacity of partner countries by supporting the establishment of healthcare infrastructure and the training of specialized personnel, and will take the lead in expanding global health cooperation.