Kazakhstan Consolidates Healthcare Collaborations with Turkic Nations and World Health Organization
Here's a laid-back, chatty, and up-to-date take on that health summit:
Hey there! On April 8th, Olzhas Bektenov, Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister, hosted a health summit with the health ministers from the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) and the World Health Organization's (WHO) Regional Director for Europe, Hans Kluge. The meeting took place at the heart of Astana, and Akmaral Alnazarova, Kazakhstan’s own Health Minister, gave an update on the proceedings of the fifth meeting of OTS Health Ministers.
You know what they say, change is the only constant, and that certainly rings true for Kazakhstan's healthcare sector. The country's currently tearing things up with the construction of new healthcare facilities, the establishment of multidisciplinary clinics, and putting in some serious upgrades to their medical equipment. Check out these fresh pics from the PM's press service for a sneak peek!
The conversation during the summit revolved around ways to boost Kazakhstan’s collaboration with the OTS, such as through the exchange of expertise and transfers of cutting-edge medical technology. Proposals aimed at advancing healthcare in Kazakhstan and its partner countries were also on the table. The group emphasized the importance of teamwork among the OTS nations to tackle global health issues, as reported by the PM's press service.
Bektenov drove home the point that a united front and strong partnerships are essential when battling major health threats. He noted that Kazakhstan's healthcare modernization efforts include new infrastructure, multidisciplinary clinics, and revamped medical equipment. Kazakhstan's also working on beefing up its pharmaceutical sector.
According to Bektenov, "WHO plays a significant part in our campaign. The combined results of our joint systematic work, including technical and expert support, have led to a decrease in the incidence of diseases affecting the respiratory system, circulatory system, and mortality." With that, Kazakhstan's willing to share its experiences with other OTS countries.
The partner countries were pretty impressed with the advancements made in Kazakhstan's healthcare services. The focus for the next two years will be on developing primary healthcare, disaster response, combating tuberculosis and other diseases, and pharmacological collaboration, particularly with Hungary's relevant government agencies. Improving water hygiene is also on the agenda.
Collaboration with WHO
The team's interaction with the WHO is facilitated through implementing two-year cooperation agreements between the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the Kazakh Ministry of Health. For 2024-2025, key areas of collaboration include universal health service coverage, emergency preparedness, prevention of non-communicable diseases, and implementing the One Health approach.
Kluge praised Kazakhstan’s efforts to reduce premature mortality from chronic non-communicable diseases through comprehensive preventive measures. Notably, Kazakhstan's among only ten countries globally to achieve a reduction in premature deaths from diseases like cardiovascular disease and cancer.
"The strategies Kazakhstan's using in the prevention sector have made a massive impact: vaping is prohibited, a strict alcohol policy is being enforced, and a vaccination program against the human papillomavirus is ongoing. Today we're discussing the second phase of our cooperation, which will involve establishing the Academy of Primary Health Care, where future specialists from Kazakhstan will train and become leading experts in primary healthcare," said Kluge.
Kazakhstan's healthcare initiatives and investments
Kazakhstan's aiming to implement accessible and high-quality primary care. In recent years, they’ve introduced initiatives like advanced nursing practices, early detection screenings for cancer and cardiovascular diseases, and creating competence centers for cardiology, oncology, and endocrinology.
Investment in Kazakhstan’s healthcare sector grew by 8.4% in 2024, amounting to roughly $920 million. With a third of this investment coming from the private sector, the pharmaceutical industry saw nearly a doubling of investments to $91.3 million. By 2029, the government aims to increase the production of domestically-made medicines to reach 50%.
Over the past five years, Kazakhstan opened 784 new medical facilities, including 467 primary healthcare centers, as part of the National Project for Rural Healthcare Modernization. Life expectancy at birth has also increased by nearly 3.5 years, resting at 75 years of age today.
After the meeting, the officials signed a Joint Declaration, a Joint Action Plan for healthcare, and several memorandums of cooperation regarding personnel training and biological safety. On April 7th, health ministers from the OTS even sealed a deal on a memorandum, converting Kazakhstan's National Coordination Center for Emergency Medicine into a single platform for cooperation.
- Olzhas Bektenov, Kazakhstan's Prime Minister, hosted a health summit with health ministers from the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) and the World Health Organization's (WHO) Regional Director for Europe, Hans Kluge, and discussed partnering with OTS countries to tackle global health issues.
- During the summit, Kazakhstan proposed initiatives aimed at advancing healthcare, such as exchanging expertise, transferring cutting-edge medical technology, and developing primary healthcare, disaster response, and pharmacological collaboration, particularly with Hungary's relevant government agencies.
- Kazakhstan's healthcare modernization efforts include the construction of new healthcare facilities, multidisciplinary clinics, and upgrades to medical equipment, with Olzhas Bektenov emphasizing the importance of a united front to battle major health threats like the human papillomavirus (HPV), for which Kazakhstan has a vaccination program ongoing.
- In the area of education and self-development, Kazakhstan is planning to establish the Academy of Primary Health Care, where future specialists will train and become leading experts in primary healthcare, as highlighted by WHO's Regional Director for Europe, Hans Kluge.
- In addition to healthcare investments, Kazakhstan has seen growth in its finance sector, with investment in the healthcare sector growing by 8.4% in 2024, amounting to roughly $920 million. The government targets increasing the production of domestically-made medicines to reach 50% by 2029.
- Marching forward, Kazakhstan will focus on improving water hygiene, combating tuberculosis and other diseases, and implementing universal health service coverage, emergency preparedness, prevention of non-communicable diseases, and the One Health approach, as outlined in the collaboration agreements between the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the Kazakh Ministry of Health for the years 2024-2025.
