A major strategic facility aimed at strengthening Kazakhstan’s biological security has officially opened in Almaty. The National Scientific Center for Infectious Diseases was built on the instruction of the Head of State and is designed to enhance the country’s readiness to respond to infectious threats, DKNews.kz reports.
The opening ceremony was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva, Minister of Healthcare Akmaral Alnazarova, and Almaty Mayor Darkhan Satybaldy.
A Response to Pandemic Lessons
The new center was created as a systemic response to the challenges revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its mission is to strengthen healthcare preparedness, develop scientific capacity, introduce digital solutions, and train highly qualified infectious disease specialists.
Designed for 350 hospital beds, the center will be able to provide advanced diagnostic and medical care to around 2,500 tuberculosis patients annually from all regions of Kazakhstan.
“More Than Just a Medical Facility”
Speaking at the opening, Deputy Prime Minister Aida Balayeva emphasized the national importance of the project.
“This center was built on the President’s instruction to strengthen public health and ensure biological security. Today, scientific research, advanced technologies, and the training of future specialists are integrated here into a single system. I am confident that the National Center for Infectious Diseases will become not just a medical institution, but a flagship of modern Kazakhstani medicine,” she said.
Healthcare and Social Infrastructure Developing Together
Balayeva also highlighted the broader development of social infrastructure across the country. Over the past two years, Kazakhstan has built 695 new medical facilities, 419 schools with capacity for 614,000 students, and 237 sports facilities nationwide. In 2025 alone, construction was completed on 61 cultural facilities, while hundreds of others are currently undergoing renovation.
These projects, she noted, are aimed first and foremost at improving quality of life and expanding opportunities for citizens across the country.
A Fully Integrated Medical and Scientific Hub
Built in a short timeframe, the National Scientific Center for Infectious Diseases combines clinical care, scientific research, education, and digital technologies on a single platform. The center provides medical services for adults, children, and pregnant women.
In emergency situations, its capacity can be rapidly expanded to up to 500 beds, allowing for a swift response to large-scale health threats.
A Pillar of National Infectious Disease Response
The center operates as a fully autonomous institution, covering the entire medical cycle - from diagnostics and treatment to complex laboratory research into infectious and parasitic diseases, including drug-resistant forms of tuberculosis.
Experts say the new facility will become a key element of Kazakhstan’s national system for responding to infectious threats, as well as a leading base for scientific innovation and professional training in infectious medicine.
