OREANDA-NEWS. On 13 March 2009 was announced, that Kazakhstan Health Sector Technology Transfer and Institutional Reform Project was formally launched, in the Majilis-hall of the Ministries House in Astana; the objective of which 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 USD 296.0 million USD, including borrowings of USD 117.7 million USD or 40% of the total project cost. Co-financing from Republican budget – USD 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.

As a result, 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”.

The Project consists of 7 basic components. The largest part of the funds – about 64% of the project cost will be directed to further development of the information systems in healthcare, which is a basis for any modern healthcare system. 20.3% will be spent on Improved quality of medical services. It is planned to standardize main processes and procedures including equipping laboratory services, exercising structural reorganizations and blood supply service activities.

Modernization of the governance and funding system will take 7%. Equally with the wide-range healthcare management trainings, new standards  for healthcare organizations planning will be elaborated. Based on such standards, investment projects for each oblast, Astana and Almaty cities will be developed.

   Great attention will be paid to modernization of medical education, its methodological and logistics maintainability, securing institutional sustainability. To allow Kazakhstan’s accession to the world community, in particular to the WTO, harmonization of legislation and technical regulations will be carried out. Laboratories will be equipped and accredited in compliance with the international standards. Food supply for the domestic market will be secured, conditions for WTO accession will be created, ultimately allowing Kazakhstan to participate in the international arena as a partner equal in rights. Transfer of technologies will be conducted on the basis of the long-term partnership cooperation with recognized international organizations and through creation of sustainable institutional capacity of Kazakhstan experts.

The Project’s launch was attended by: Stakeholders from concerned Ministries and agencies of the Republic of Kazakhstan, international partners – representatives from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRR),  USAID, WHO, UNICEF, UNDP, ZdravPlus, CDC, members of healthcare organizations/institutions, project beneficiaries, NGOs, mass media.