Salaries for medical workers in Kazakhstan will increase this year, with additional measures to strengthen protection and support for doctors planned for 2026, according to Vice Minister Timur Sultangaziyev, QazMonitor reports, citing the Ministry of Healthcare.
Wages will be raised in 2025 for employees of infectious disease services and emergency medical care. Over recent years, state spending on healthcare has tripled, reaching 3 trillion tenge last year. This expansion has increased the volume of medical services available to the population and enabled large-scale infrastructure upgrades, including renewed equipment and facilities in hospitals and clinics.
In 2026, several major national facilities began operating, including the National Oncology Center and the Emergency Medicine Center in Astana, as well as the National Center for Infectious Diseases in Almaty. Healthcare services in rural areas are also being strengthened, Sultangaziyev noted. More than 650 medical facilities have been commissioned in villages across the country.
For the first time in many years, tariff policies have been revised, particularly for pediatricians and obstetricians. Medical centers are placing greater emphasis on early diagnosis, while the maternal and child health protection system is being reinforced. Oncology services are expanding, with high-precision treatment methods introduced that were previously available mainly abroad.
Digitalization remains a key focus. Kazakhstan is developing the eDensaulyq healthcare ecosystem, including solutions that use neural networks to support medical professionals and improve the quality of healthcare services.
Criminal liability has been introduced for violence against medical workers and ambulance drivers.
As a result of enhanced social support, the shortage of doctors has decreased by 19%, nursing staff by 7%, and rural doctors by 16%.
These measures are already delivering results. Life expectancy in Kazakhstan is projected to reach 75.8 years, while mortality rates continue to decline. Overall mortality has fallen by 2.6%, and infant mortality by 18%. Kazakhstan has also climbed seven positions in the Human Development Index.