A LABORATORY DIAGNOSTICS TRAINING CENTER LAUNCHED IN ASTANA WITH THE SUPPORT OF ROCHE

One of the world's largest biotechnology companies, Roche, is today a key partner in the development of the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare system in Kazakhstan. Over the past few years, the country has carried out comprehensive and comprehensive work to attract the industry flagship to the domestic market.

The Head of State laid a solid foundation for cooperation during a working visit to Geneva in November 2021, during which a Kazakh-Swiss business forum was held and a framework agreement with Roche on a strategic partnership was signed.

“We need to increase growth rates, more actively diversify the economy, and attract more foreign investment,” the President noted.

The next agreement on the implementation of a project to localize the production of innovative anticancer drugs in Kazakhstan was concluded in December 2022 between the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Roche Holding AG.

In November 2023, Roche, together with the Unified Distributor, Nobel Almaty Pharmaceutical Factory JSC and the Kazakhstan Research Institute of Oncology and Radiology, entered into a long-term agreement. This important step will help reduce the cost and increase the availability of high-quality medicines for all breast cancer patients in Kazakhstan by localizing original patented products. This event confirms Roche's commitment to strengthening collaboration in healthcare and will make a significant contribution to the fight against cancer in the region.

As you know, the Roche group of companies is a world leader in two areas - pharmaceutical and diagnostic. Thus, projects are being implemented in both directions in Kazakhstan. As for pharmaceuticals, this is contract manufacturing of innovative oncological drugs. And in the diagnostic direction we are talking about several projects.

One of them is today’s opening of a training center for laboratory diagnostics to improve the skills of local specialists in the framework of cooperation with the world leader Roche Diagnostics. The training center was launched at the site of the Nazarbayev University School of Medicine.

The opening ceremony was attended by the Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan Akmaral Alnazarova, Dean of the NU School of Medicine Massimo Pignatelli, Head of Roche Diagnostics in Central Asia and the Caucasus Hasan Demirdzhi, Executive Director of the University Medical Center Kanybek Ashirov, Chairman of the Board of SK-Pharmaceuticals LLP Erkhat Iskaliev , representatives of departmental structures and medical organizations.

The purpose of the training center is to develop the healthcare system by training medical workers in advanced methods of diagnosing diseases and working with high-tech diagnostic equipment.

As part of the cooperation, Roche Diagnostics provided the School of Medicine with analyzers for laboratory diagnostics and a set of consumables (reagents).

The Nazarbayev University School of Medicine, being one of the leading medical educational institutions in Kazakhstan, and the University Medical Center will be able to conduct practical classes at the training center to train medical and engineering workers in advanced methods of diagnosing and treating diseases using modern Roche equipment. The training center will demonstrate the principles and features of the work of large diagnostic laboratories in real conditions.

The head of state noted that domestic science should act as the vanguard in modernizing the national economy. The key effect of such cooperation will be the promotion of scientific and medical research in Kazakhstan.

On average, the world's costs for laboratory diagnostics account for only 2% of all government expenditures on the healthcare system, while about 70% of all clinical decisions are based on the results of laboratory tests.

Roche Diagnostics is a global leader in laboratory diagnostics, with the expertise, resources and experience to improve laboratory infrastructure and is a global leader in in vitro diagnostics. The company's experience can help strengthen Kazakhstan's laboratory infrastructure and ensure its compliance with international standards.

“One of the most important components of any healthcare system is the ability to prevent diseases, which includes timely screening and detection of diseases. Roche analyzers are used by private laboratories in Kazakhstan to conduct tests and prepare analyses. I am very proud of our partnership with NU and UMC, as I am confident that the opening of the training center will contribute to the development of the healthcare system of Kazakhstan and the improvement of the skills of local specialists through increased access to medical innovations,” emphasized the head of Roche Diagnostics in Central Asia and Caucasus Hasan Demirci.

The launch of the training center is the result of an integrated approach for the progressive development of the domestic industry and the Unified Distributor is a guide in promoting cooperation between Kazakhstan and Switzerland, having initiated a number of bilateral meetings to consider ways of partnership with the pharmaceutical giant Roche.

The head of state noted the importance of cooperation with pharmaceutical corporations, attracting investors with modern technologies and arming themselves with the results of new research. In addition, it is necessary to improve the level of scientific research and its application in practice.

“Collaboration with the global pharmaceutical giant Roche will bring to Kazakhstan not only new technologies, but its entire philosophy of health. Today we see the galloping growth of technologies that are changing the practice of healthcare delivery and the healthcare system. We continue to cooperate and conduct a number of joint projects in the country. And the launch of a training center at Nazarbayev University will give impetus to the development of scientific and medical research in Kazakhstan,” noted Erkhat Iskaliev, Chairman of the Board of SK-Pharmaceuticals LLP.

The parties intend to continue comprehensive, fruitful cooperation. As a result, this will be an impetus for discoveries and innovations in the medical field, which will generally have a positive impact on the quality of life of patients and Kazakhstan’s healthcare in general. This will also give impetus to the development of medical and pharmaceutical clusters in the country, the creation of which was initiated by the Unified Distributor.

For reference:

The Nazarbayev University School of Medicine was officially established in 2015 in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, becoming the academic center of the Republic of Kazakhstan's first integrated academic health care system. One of the School of Medicine's strategic goals remains to develop a model of health care in Kazakhstan through the integration of research, innovation, education and patient care.

University Medical Center (UMC) combines innovative medical centers: Diagnostic Center, Maternity and Childhood Center, Heart Center. As part of the integrated academic health care system of Nazarbayev University, UMC attracts foreign specialists “mentors” and organizes international master classes on the territory of its clinics to create a competitive generation of medical personnel, develop modern protocols for the diagnosis and treatment of rare, severe and advanced forms of diseases, as well as improve quality of medical care.

SK-Pharmaceuticals LLP acts as the organizer of the purchase of medicines, medical devices and medical equipment purchased at the expense of the republican budget, as well as for further transfer to healthcare organizations on financial leasing terms.

Roche - One of the first industrial manufacturers of branded drugs, Roche, founded in 1896 in Basel, Switzerland, has grown into the world's largest biotechnology company and a global leader in in vitro diagnostics. The company is committed to scientific excellence by discovering and developing medicines and diagnostics to improve and save lives around the world. We are pioneers in personalized healthcare and want to further transform the way we deliver care for greater impact. To provide the best care for every person, we collaborate with many partners and combine our strengths in diagnostics and pharmaceuticals with clinical evidence.