PARTNERS FOR HEALTH: KEY HEALTH ISSUES DISCUSSED BY EXPERTS

Today, the “Partners for Health” forum was held in the capital, chaired by the Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan Akmaral Alnazarova.

The forum audience is represented by the Chairman of the Committee for Medical and Pharmaceutical Control of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nurlan Iskakov, the Chairman of the Board of the National Scientific Center for Health Development named after Salidat Kairbekova Gulnara Kulkaeva, the General Director of the National Center for Expertise of Medicines Erken Dautbaev, as well as the Chairman of the Board of SK-Pharmacia LLP Erkhat Iskaliev.

In addition, partner countries represented by the Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the EU, USA, Germany, France, South Korea, China, Japan, Turkey, Great Britain, Switzerland, Sweden to the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as representatives of the UN Agency and development partners such as World Bank, World Veterinary Organization, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Islamic Development Bank, Asian Development Bank and Eurasian Development Bank.

At the opening ceremony, welcoming speeches were made by the Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan Akmaral Alnazarova, the UN Resident Coordinator in Kazakhstan Mikael Friberg-Story, the EU Representative in Kazakhstan Kestutis Jankauskas and the WHO Representative in Kazakhstan Skender Syla.

The dialogue platform was created to support the country on its path to improving the health and well-being of people in Kazakhstan by facilitating the cooperation of the Ministry of Health with international organizations and development partners that support and promote public health and the healthcare system in the country.

During the forum, the parties discussed key healthсare issues, policies and improvement strategies, sharing knowledge and best practices to improve public health and the health care system.

On the agenda are strategic directions and priorities for the development of healthcare in the Republic of Kazakhstan, consolidation of efforts with the diplomatic and expert community; World Health Day 2024 and current and planned health initiatives in Kazakhstan.

The Development Strategy of Kazakhstan-2050 defines the health of the nation as the basis for the successful future of the country. It sets out comprehensive actions to promote and protect health and provide high-quality services where and when people need them.

Integrated health development requires multifaceted action that brings together the expertise and resources of national and international partners, such as UN agencies and other international organizations, to achieve healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages – SDG 3.

The Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan, in collaboration with WHO Kazakhstan, is convening the first meeting of international partners, donor countries and expert agencies to communicate key national health priorities, call for collaborative efforts, outline existing initiatives and ensure the integrity of planned projects.

During the forum sessions, partners voiced current and planned initiatives in the field of healthcare in Kazakhstan. In conclusion, the participants expressed their intention to fruitfully cooperate with each other to achieve common goals in the field of healthcare, and the parties also determined the dates and topics for the next meeting of the Forum.