Kazakhstan Health Sector Reform

“Kazakhstan Health Sector Technology Transfer and Institutional Reform” Project was formally launched in Astana. Its objective is to ensure high quality medical services and building competitive healthcare system through modernization based on introduction of international standards and developing human resources and infrastructure.

Total project cost is $296.0 million USD, including borrowings of $117.7 million USD or 40% of the total project cost. Co-financing from Republican budget – $178.3 million USD, which is equal to 60%. Implementation period is 5 years, from 2009 to 2013 inclusively.

Kazakhstan Health Sector Technology Transfer and Institutional Reform Project fully complies with the tasks set forth by the Head of the state in his Address to the Kazakhstan people as of February 28, 2007, Government Agenda for 2007-2009 and State healthcare system reform and development program for 2005-2010.

“This project will facilitate reforms in the healthcare system of the Republic of Kazakhstan and promote it to the international level”, - says Mr. Zhaksylyk Doskaliyev, Minister of Health.

Population, medical staff, healthcare authorities and institutions, dependent medical organizations will benefit from the project implementation.

Set of project activities is supposed to create basis for improving health of the population through the following measures:

− modernization of governance and funding systems within the sector;

− improving quality of the medical services;

− enhancing supply of medicines for the population;

− improving food safety control system;

− modernization of the medical and pharmaceutical education, system for managing medicinal science.

“Improvements in the system of healthcare are extremely important for the country’s sustainable growth”, - quotation from the speech of Mr. Sergei Shatalov, World Bank Country Manager for Kazakhstan. “Current crisis events in economy will be inevitably followed by a new period of dynamic economic development. Kazakhstan will be able to turn it to real advantage provided that the population of the country is healthy and highly educated. The Government made correct strategic solution to protect the human capacity of the country and is supporting the accepted level of expenses for healthcare. Within this Project the Bank will help the Ministry of Health to achieve the most effective use of the funds via introduction of the innovative methods of the sector governance”.