Highlights of Kazakhstan’s Healthcare Innovations and Reforms in 2021
In 2024, Kazakhstan’s healthcare system underwent significant reforms to improve accessibility, efficiency, and transparency. Minister of Healthcare Akmaral Alnazarova highlighted key innovations in an interview with The Astana Times. These included advancements in primary care, infrastructure modernization, and domestic pharmaceutical growth to strengthen public health services across the nation.
Throughout the year, the focus was on simplifying and enhancing primary care with a focus on prevention, ensuring medical services are accessible to all, and maintaining financial sustainability within the healthcare system. Over 1,000 industry standards and regulations were reviewed, leading to 200 amendments that aimed to optimize operations in polyclinics, streamline referrals, and introduce a multidisciplinary approach for chronic disease management.
Promoting a healthy lifestyle remained a priority, with measures such as increased excise taxes on tobacco and alcohol, as well as the ban on vapes and energy drinks for individuals under 21. Efforts were also made to introduce excise taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages.
To enhance patient convenience, the digital Social Wallet project was launched to provide free medicines via QR codes in 724 polyclinics nationwide. Medicine labeling and traceability systems were implemented to combat counterfeit drugs and improve supply chain efficiency.
Advancements in tertiary care included the introduction of 3D prosthetics, expanded oncology services, and the establishment of a nuclear medicine center in Semei. The National Center for Neurosurgery now operates Central Asia’s only Gamma Knife complex for the radiosurgical treatment of central nervous system diseases.
Rehabilitation services were expanded to cover seven treatment areas for adults, including services for patients with malignant neoplasms. A draft law was proposed to establish a single, budget-aligned package of state-funded medical services, which includes free cancer screenings for all citizens and free screenings for suspected socially significant diseases.
Annual screenings for chronic conditions were conducted for 3.4 million adults, with a focus on early diagnosis and treatment. Mobile polyclinics served rural residents, conducting diagnostic tests and identifying patients with various conditions.
Efforts were also made to protect the health of mothers and children, leading to a decrease in maternal mortality and disabilities from congenital abnormalities. Modifications were made to provide human resources to the healthcare industry, with incentives for rural postings and the development of a digital platform to streamline processes for healthcare professionals.
Reforms were initiated to ensure financial sustainability in medical organizations, including phased tariff increases for medical services and support for uninsured individuals. A unified state medical information system was created to enhance the quality of medical services through complete digitalization and efficient resource management.
The pace of implementing state programs to renovate hospital infrastructure was steady, with the construction of primary care facilities in rural areas. The government also took steps to increase domestic pharmaceutical production, reducing dependence on imported drugs and providing high-quality, affordable medicines to the population.
