A criminal investigation has been launched against Almazbek Ismankulov, Director of the Eye Microsurgery Hospital, as well as several officials from the Kyrgyz National University named after Jusup Balasagyn, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Education, the Interior Ministry of Kyrgyzstan reported.
According to the ministry, the case involves corruption schemes related to the illegal acquisition and misappropriation of medical equipment supplied to Kyrgyzstan under foreign technical credit programs.
Between 1999 and 2000, medical equipment worth over $9 million was imported into the country. However, under the scheme allegedly organized by Ismankulov with the assistance of certain officials from the KNU, the Health and Education Ministries, and other agencies, the equipment was illegally distributed and transferred to private medical clinics owned by Ismankulov himself. The credit used to purchase the equipment remains unpaid to this day, and, according to a court ruling, the state remains responsible for the debt, which, adjusted for 2025, amounts to $31 million.
«During operational investigative activities by the Main Criminal Investigation Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Almazbek Ismankulov was detained on suspicion of committing an offense under the article ‘Corruption’ of the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic. By a decision of the Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek, he has been placed in pretrial detention. Additional investigative measures are underway to identify all individuals involved in the case,» the ministry stated.
In 2023, a separate criminal case on corruption charges was opened against Ismankulov and several officials of the Bishkek municipality. Investigators alleged that despite the prohibition on leasing the second building of Clinical Hospital No. 6 to private entities — and despite an acute shortage of hospital beds — Ismankulov and several City Hall employees illegally leased the facility at deliberately undervalued rates, causing the state financial damage of 93,162,576 soms. At that time, Almazbek Ismankulov was also placed under arrest.
