Problems with access to free treatment in Elista's hospitals have given rise to criticism of the Ministry of Health of Kalmykia.
Appointments with a therapist in Elista have to be waited for up to a month, and free CT and MRI examinations – up to a year, a local resident complained on social media. Other residents of Elista, commenting on his complaint, also spoke about the long wait for doctors and the need to pay for medications and treatment out of their own pockets. They criticized the Ministry of Health for problems in medical institutions.