At the Government session chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, the issue of ensuring the population’s access to medicines was discussed. The heads of the Ministry of Health and SK-Pharmacy delivered reports on the matter, DKNews.kz reports.
As part of the President’s instructions to reform pricing mechanisms, the Ministry of Health has carried out systematic work that resulted in a 30% reduction in maximum prices for generic drugs compared to original medicines. Marketing and transportation expenses have been excluded from the price formation mechanism. Ministry specialists now have access to current drug prices in over 100 countries, which made it possible to adjust prices for 2,900 types of medicines provided free of charge or subsidized by the state under the Guaranteed Volume of Free Medical Care (GVFMC) and Compulsory Social Health Insurance (CSHI), as well as for 4,900 items sold in pharmacies. All participants of Kazakhstan’s pharmaceutical market are connected to the product labeling system, enhancing transparency in the circulation of medicines.
Work is underway to digitize the sector and introduce artificial intelligence. Integration of electronic prescription and drug supply systems into medical information platforms has reduced prescription processing time by half. Moreover, under the Social Wallet project, more than 10 million electronic prescriptions have been issued using digital tools.
“The Head of State has set an important task — to increase the quantity and range of domestically produced medicines. To achieve this, a simplified registration mechanism for medicines and medical devices has been introduced. As a result, the registration period for new drugs in Kazakhstan has been reduced from two to five years to just 100 working days. This significantly improves access for our citizens to the latest medicines, treatment methods, and diagnostics. In addition, a new quality control mechanism for medicines and medical devices has been implemented, which includes selective market sampling and testing of products from healthcare organizations. This approach will help prevent counterfeit products from entering the domestic market,” Olzhas Bektenov emphasized.
The Prime Minister noted that the Government continues to systematically support Kazakh pharmaceutical manufacturers, with the main goal being to reduce dependence on external markets and ensure affordable access to medicines for the population.
At the same time, risks remain concerning timely delivery of medicines, especially at the beginning of the year, due to logistical issues and lengthy procurement procedures.
“For many categories of patients, uninterrupted access to medicines is crucial. Work in this area must be strengthened,” Olzhas Bektenov instructed.
To address such challenges, active digital transformation of the sector is underway. An information system is being introduced to enable real-time monitoring and tracking of medicine availability.
The Prime Minister emphasized the need to build a system ensuring that every prescribed medicine is available in pharmacies, of proper quality, and at an affordable price. The Ministry of Health, together with SK-Pharmacy and local administrations, has been instructed to ensure timely procurement and uninterrupted supply of medicines and medical devices for the coming year.
Following the meeting, the Prime Minister issued several directives to government bodies and local authorities:
-
The Ministry of Healthcare, jointly with the antimonopoly agency, must take measures to prevent unjustified price increases for medicines in the retail segment.
-
The Ministry of Healthcare, together with the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, must implement AI tools in the healthcare system — particularly in planning, prescribing, and procurement processes for medicines and medical devices — and ensure prompt response to citizens’ concerns and complaints.
-
The Ministry of Healthcare, jointly with the Ministry of Culture and Information and regional administrations, must carry out ongoing public awareness campaigns on medical supply issues, using mass media, digital platforms, social networks, and regional events.
“Our goal is to make the healthcare system as transparent, fair, and accessible as possible for all citizens,” Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov concluded.
Coordination and oversight of the implementation of these tasks are assigned to Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev.
