Dispute between Shuhrat Ibrahimov and Eurasian Finance Company's shareholders receives court backing

In a significant shift, the Kazakhstan government has made changes to the distribution of diabetes medications, affecting over half a million patients in the country.

As of August 2025, the distribution of diabetes medications is no longer considered a socially significant service, and the provision of these medications will now depend on a person's status of being insured under the Mandatory Social Medical Insurance System (OMS). This change comes as part of the new Law on Improving the Mandatory Social Medical Insurance System, which took effect on July 15, 2025.

Previously, medications for diabetes patients were issued regardless of insurance status. However, with this new change, the financial burden on patients who have to pay for their medications themselves has increased, as participation in OMS is directly linked to the size of the monthly calculated indicator (MPI), meaning the cost of health insurance will only increase.

The process of obtaining medication remains largely unchanged, with prescriptions still required. Patients can obtain medications with a prescription from a doctor, either on paper or electronically, and present it at the pharmacy. The Single Distributor "SK-Farmacia" continues to handle the purchase of drugs, and all medications listed by the Single Distributor undergo state registration, confirming their quality, safety, and efficacy.

The free provision of medications includes a variety of insulins, glucose test strips, blood glucose meters, oral antidiabetic drugs, and even glucagen, available in various dosages and forms. Some of the medications included are "GlyDiа", "Forxiga", "Gliclazide", "Antaris", "Taglin", "Insulin Pen Needle", "Tru Lissity", "Novorapid", "Rapilin/GanliPen", "Novomix", "Toujeo SoloStar", "Rinaglare", "Apidra", "Tresiba", "Lantus", "Humalog", "MiniMed Infusion Set", "Invokana", "TRAJENTA", "Victoza", "Glucagon", "MiniMed Reservoir", "Repaglinide", "AT Care No50" from the Express Glucose Concentration Analyzer kit, "KF Stick 1K - Urine Ketone Test Strip", and "Jardiance".

However, it's important to note that some patients may still be left without medication despite the change. For instance, around six thousand of these patients are children. For those who do not fall under these categories and do not pay contributions, free provision of medication will not be available.

The costs of insulin and supplies will fall entirely on the patient in such cases. For Naïl Zakiiev, a person living with type 1 diabetes, this means a monthly cost of 100-300 thousand tenge for pump supplies and sensors, in addition to the "Humalog" insulin and "AT Care" test strips he currently receives for free.

Zakiiev, along with many others, has criticised the decision to remove diabetes from the list of socially significant diseases, stating that it will complicate access to therapy and lead to increased complications, disabilities, and deaths. The key change is the exclusion of diabetes from the list of socially significant diseases, which means guarantees for provision now depend on one's status of being insured under OMS.

To ease the process of obtaining prescriptions, the eGov mobile app now allows you to get a QR code for a prescription and simply present it at the pharmacy. It is essential for patients to remain registered with a clinic, be under the care of a general practitioner or a specialist, and obtain a free prescription from a doctor to continue receiving free medications.

With the state's annual expenditure on outpatient care for diabetes patients increasing, the government has planned to allocate 55.5 billion tenge for 2025. The purchase list for 2025 includes 50 drug and device names totaling 55 billion tenge.

Despite the challenges, the Kazakhstan government has promised expanded access to therapy as part of this change, stating that the decision was made to align with international standards. However, it is crucial for patients to stay informed and seek assistance if they are facing difficulties in obtaining their medications.

Dispute between Shuhrat Ibrahimov and Eurasian Finance Company's shareholders receives court backing