Local foods, food-safety habits, hospital daily life, travel during treatment, the health system, language and emergency numbers from reliable sources.
Keep a translation of your diagnosis, treatment plan and medication list in this language or in English. Many hospitals offer interpreters — ask in advance.
Health system overview
Specialised care is concentrated mainly in Bishkek; supplies of some medicines can be limited. Visitors need full travel insurance; discuss any complex treatment with your team in advance.
Leukemia care: centres
Kyrgyzstan
Auto only so far
Main centres
National Center of Oncology and Hematology, Bishkek (adults and children)
National Center for Maternal and Child Health, Bishkek
Transplant: The country’s first transplant, an autologous one for a teenager with Hodgkin lymphoma, was performed at the National Center for Maternal and Child Health in 2024. We found no reports of allogeneic transplants.
Good to know: Patients who need a donor transplant should discuss referral abroad with their hematologist early.
Wherever you live, the core rules with low immunity are the same: clean hands, keeping raw and cooked food apart, cooking thoroughly, chilling quickly and choosing pasteurised dairy. At local markets and street stalls, watch how food is stored. Ask your team whether tap water is fine for you; if unsure, use bottled or boiled water.
Hospital daily life
In many hospitals in this region a family member stays with the patient to help with daily care, and families often bring food from home. With low immunity, agree with the ward which food can be brought and how it should be prepared and stored. Fewer visitors, and none who are unwell, lowers the risk of infection.
Travel during treatment
Talk to your care team before planning a trip — timing, blood counts and vaccines.
Carry a doctor’s letter with your diagnosis, treatment plan and medication list (including in English).
Pack medicines in original packaging, in hand luggage, with extra; some medicines have import rules.
Get travel insurance that covers your existing condition and read the terms.
Find the nearest haematology centre and the emergency number at your destination in advance.
Live vaccines can be unsafe during treatment — ask your team before any vaccination.
Ask your team about clot risk on long flights and move around when you can.