Government official proposes distributing birth control to females
In a bid to reduce infant mortality and unwanted pregnancies among vulnerable groups, Kazakhstan has launched a comprehensive set of strategies. The focus is on regions including Kyzylorda, Kostanai, West Kazakhstan, Zhambyl, and Abay.
The Ministry has urged regional akimats to allocate funding for staffing medical institutions, improving the healthcare system in regions with high home death rates. This call was made at a recent government meeting, as reported by Liter.kz.
One of the key strategies involves building and enhancing modern perinatal centers. Forthcoming constructions are planned in Shymkent and Karaganda to improve childbirth outcomes and manage complex cases better. The Ministry has also adopted WHO and UNICEF recommendations, leading to improved maternal and neonatal care protocols, including advanced postpartum hemorrhage prevention techniques that have increased organ-preserving surgeries for mothers by 20%.
Expanding emergency and critical care capabilities is another critical area of focus. This is being achieved through the use of an air medical service, which has saved 96% of critically ill mothers and newborns airlifted, improving survival in remote and vulnerable areas.
The Ministry has also implemented a comprehensive maternal health program tailored specifically for Kazakh women, focusing on improving the quality and accessibility of maternal healthcare nationwide. The program includes the integration of digital health technologies and state databases to optimize healthcare service delivery, though primarily at the national level.
While no specific strategy targeting unwanted pregnancies among vulnerable groups in these regions was detailed, the overall health system strengthening, maternal health programs, and WHO-guided approaches are expected to include reproductive health education and services that address contraception and family planning needs.
Alarming data shows an increase in infant mortality has been recorded in Kyzylorda, Kostanai, West Kazakhstan, Zhambyl, and Aбаy regions. Perinatal conditions, respiratory diseases, and congenital developmental abnormalities are the leading causes of the increase in infant mortality.
In response to this, the Minister of Health of Kazakhstan, Akmaral Alnazarova, has proposed a plan to provide free contraceptives to women of reproductive age from vulnerable groups. The initiative will be funded using local budget funds and aims to reduce infant mortality rates and prevent unwanted pregnancies. The Ministry has also requested funding for providing medical transport, improving specialist qualifications, and updating material and technical bases in medical institutions.
The proposed initiatives and strategies are expected to directly benefit vulnerable populations in regions with higher risk due to socio-economic factors, as national efforts to enhance healthcare infrastructure and emergency response continue. The Ministry's ongoing prioritization of maternal and child health in the National Development Plan through 2029 and plans extending maternal and child health service development until 2030 ensure sustained policy support.
[1] [Liter.kz, 2022] [2] [UNICEF Kazakhstan, 2021] [3] [WHO Kazakhstan, 2021] [4] [Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 2022] [5] [Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 2021]
- The Ministry of Health in Kazakhstan is emphasizing the importance of science and policy-and-legislation in their comprehensive strategies to reduce infant mortality and unwanted pregnancies in vulnerable regions.
- In an effort to increase accessibility and quality of healthcare, the Ministry is adopting recommendations from WHO and UNICEF, which include modernizing perinatal centers and implementing advanced postpartum hemorrhage prevention techniques, focusing on women's health.
- The health ministry is also addressing the issue of unwanted pregnancies through general-news strategies, such as providing free contraceptives to women from vulnerable groups and improving maternal health programs, with a particular focus on family-health and parenting.
- In the realm of health-and-wellness, the ministry is extending emergency and critical care capabilities, particularly through an air medical service, which has proven effective in saving critically ill mothers and newborns in remote and vulnerable areas.
- As part of a broader approach towards health policy, the government is investing in the infrastructure and resources needed for the long-term development of family-health, women's health, and overall child health in Kazakhstan, as outlined in the National Development Plan through 2029 and plans extending maternal and child health service development until 2030.
