The issues of strengthening cooperation in healthcare and pharmaceuticals were discussed at the 11th meeting of the Kazakhstan-European Union dialogue platform, chaired by the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Alikhan Smailov, Delovoy Kazakhstan reports.
The event was attended by the Head of the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan, the Ambassadors of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Finland, Croatia, Czech Republic and Sweden, as well as representatives of the central government agencies of Kazakhstan.
In his speech, Alikhan Smailov noted that healthcare is one of the promising areas for building mutually beneficial cooperation between Kazakhstan and the European Union.
He reminded that this year Kazakhstan adopted the national project Healthy Nation, which aims to increase life expectancy to 75 years by 2027. In addition, he said, Kazakhstan plans to increase the share of domestic pharmaceutical production to 50% by implementing a mechanism for contract manufacturing of original drugs.
"Kazakhstan and the European Union have a wide range of opportunities to strengthen partnerships in the fields of medicine and pharmaceuticals. We are ready for close cooperation and joint solution of our tasks," Alikhan Smailov
The participants discussed issues of professional development of medical personnel, management of medical institutions, regulation of pricing for medicines, protection of intellectual property rights and development of the healthcare system as a whole.
The event also included a question-and-answer session during which representatives of the central public authorities gave comments on the subjects that interest the foreign partners.
Summing up the meeting, the Prime Minister said that the Government would promptly consider the proposals received to develop and implement further steps to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation.
