ALMATY – Kazakhstan has achieved the highest life expectancy in Central Asia, reaching 75.4 years, following the introduction of the Compulsory Social Health Insurance (CSHI), Minister of Healthcare Akmaral Alnazarova announced at a government meeting on Oct. 7.
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“According to the World Bank, Kazakhstan leads the Central Asian region in this indicator. This year, we expect life expectancy to reach 75.8 years,” Alnazarova said.
Reducing mortality remains one of the ministry’s key objectives. According to the Healthcare Minister, in January-June 2025, overall mortality declined by 3%, reported the Prime Minister’s press service.
Significant improvements have also been recorded in maternal and infant health. Maternal mortality decreased from 14.8 to 10.1 per 100,000 live births, while infant mortality fell from 7.93 to 6.8 per 1,000 live births.
An important step in strengthening preventive healthcare was the inclusion of cancer screenings in the guaranteed volume of free medical care. This has provided access to early cancer diagnostics for over 300,000 uninsured citizens as of 2025. Beginning in 2026, this group will also have access to screenings for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and viral hepatitis.
The minister emphasized that the positive trends are the result of systemic reforms and increased financial support for healthcare, particularly through the implementation of CSHI.
