Strengthening Healthcare Relationships: Kazakhstan and Turkic States, along with WHO, Deepen Healthcare Cooperation
Fresh Take:
Title: Kazakhstan's Healthcare Modernization: Collaboration and Initiatives
Get ready to dive into Kazakhstan's impressive healthcare transformation! Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov recently hosted a meeting with health bigwigs from the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Europe. Kazakhstan's Health Minister, Akmaral Alnazarova, presented the progress made at the fifth OTS Health Ministers' meeting.
Kazakhstan is spearheading a massive revamp of its healthcare infrastructure, with plans for new buildings, multidisciplinary clinics, and updated medical equipment. This renovation, coupled with boosting the pharmaceutical industry, forms part of the country's strategic healthcare modernization process. Photos of this progress come courtesy of the Prime Minister's press service.
The meeting focused on strengthening Kazakhstan's partnership with the OTS through knowledge sharing and acquiring advanced medical technology. The ensemble also brainstormed ways to improve healthcare in Kazakhstan and other partner countries. According to the Prime Minister's press service, a coordinated response from OTS member states is crucial to tackle global health challenges.
Bektenov stressed the importance of joint efforts and solid partnerships in combating large-scale health threats. He also highlighted Kazakhstan's healthcare modernization and the burgeoning pharmaceutical industry. Bektenov mentioned that WHO support has been instrumental in fostering these improvements, reporting a decrease in respiratory, circulatory system diseases, and mortality as a result of joint efforts.
Health ministers from the partnering countries lauded Kazakhstan's advancements in healthcare services. The focus for the upcoming two years will revolve around honing primary healthcare, emergency care, controlling tuberculosis, and other diseases, enhancing pharmacological cooperation—notably with Hungary—and addressing water hygiene issues.
Cooperation with the WHO:
Kazakhstan teams up with the WHO to realize two-year cooperation agreements between the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the Kazakh Ministry of Health. For the 2024-2025 period, primary areas of cooperation encompass universal health service coverage, emergency preparedness, prevention of non-communicable diseases, and implementing the One Health approach.
WHO Regional Director for Europe, Hans Kluge, applauded Kazakhstan's strides in reducing premature mortality from chronic non-communicable diseases thanks to comprehensive preventive measures. He pointed out that Kazakhstan ranks amongst the ten countries globally to witness a decrease in devastating diseases like cancer and cardiovascular disease.
"The measures Kazakhstan is pursuing in preventive healthcare have had a profound impact: vaping is banned, a stringent alcohol policy is in place, and a human papillomavirus vaccination program is underway. Today we discuss the second phase of our cooperation, which includes inaugurating the Academy of Primary Health Care, where future specialists from Kazakhstan will receive top-notch training to become leaders in primary healthcare," said Kluge.
Healthcare initiatives and investments in Kazakhstan:
Kazakhstan adheres to the principles of accessible, high-quality primary care. The nation has introduced several initiatives, such as advanced nursing practices, early detection screenings for cancer and cardiovascular diseases, and creating competence centers for cardiology, oncology, and endocrinology.
As of 2024, the healthcare sector received an 8.4% investment surge, reaching approximately $920 million, with a third of this investment coming from the private sector. Investments in the pharmaceutical industry nearly doubled to $91.3 million. The share of locally produced medicines is projected to rise yearly, aiming for 50% domestic production by 2029.
Over the past five years, Kazakhstan has 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, reaching 75 years.
Following the meeting, the officials signed a Joint Declaration on health matters, a Joint Action Plan for healthcare, and several memorandums of cooperation in personnel training and biological safety.
On April 7, representatives from the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) also put their signatures on a memorandum, transforming Kazakhstan's National Coordination Center for Emergency Medicine into a joint cooperation platform.
Healthcare Initiatives in Kazakhstan: A Closer Look
Kazakhstan is footing the bill for several notable healthcare initiatives, including:
1. Primary Health Care Reform
The Kazakh government has made significant strides in refining the primary healthcare (PHC) system by incorporating mental health services and functioning with a multidisciplinary approach involving nurses, psychologists, and social workers. This PHC reform has resulted in significant cost savings and improved health outcomes, approximately US$516,000 saved in one region over two years.
Collaborations: Kazakhstan's Global Partnerships
Collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO)
Kazakhstan maintains close ties with the WHO, particularly through the European Center for Primary Health Care. Dr. Melitta Jakab, head of this center, lauds Kazakhstan's progress in PHC reforms, considering them a potential model for worldwide health systems.
Collaboration with the Organization of Turkic States (OTS)
While specific details on direct collaborations between Kazakhstan and the Organization of Turkic States for healthcare modernization are not readily available, Kazakhstan actively participates in regional initiatives and forums that could include health-related discussions. However, the Organization of Turkic States primarily concentrates on economic, cultural, and political cooperation among its member states, and there is no specific information on its involvement in Kazakhstan's healthcare system modernization based on the available data.
Overall, Kazakhstan's diligence in revamping its healthcare system is focused on primary care, expanding healthcare access in rural areas, and widening insurance coverage, with substantial support from global organizations like the WHO.
- Kazakhstan's health and wellness initiatives encompass the prevention and management of medical conditions such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases, as demonstrated by their establishment of competence centers for cardiology, oncology, and endocrinology, and the implementation of early detection screenings.
- The collaboration between Kazakhstan and the World Health Organization (WHO) is centered on the promotion of health and wellness, with a focus on universal health service coverage, emergency preparedness, prevention of non-communicable diseases like cancer and cardiovascular disease, and the implementation of the One Health approach - demonstrating Kazakhstan's commitment to improving cardiovascular health on a global scale.
