ASTANA – Kazakhstan has developed packages combining medical treatment, rehabilitation and wellness services to attract international patients, as part of broader efforts to establish the country as a regional medical tourism hub.
Photo credit: medpass.com.ec
The initiative was outlined in Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov’s response to a parliamentary inquiry from members of the Kurultai. The government has also drafted an interagency plan for developing medical tourism between 2027 and 2030.
The packages include assistance with selecting medical and sanatorium-resort facilities, transfers, accommodation, meals and interpreter services for patients and accompanying persons. They also include price lists.
“We plan to promote them through travel agencies and embassies, with the possibility of obtaining a medical visa. We also intend to establish a unified service chain, from the patient’s initial inquiry to post-treatment support. Medical organizations, tour operators and service companies will be involved in this work,” Bektenov wrote in a statement.
Medical tourism development plan
The government has prepared legislative amendments to establish a framework for medical tourism. They are intended to define key terms, clarify the responsibilities of authorized bodies and market participants, and improve coordination among them.
The draft interagency plan for 2027–2030 provides improvements to the regulatory framework, statistical reporting, service standards and cooperation mechanisms. According to Bektenov, it also includes measures to develop medical tourism through the country’s research-based medical centers and institutes.
The government has identified several medical fields in demand among foreign patients, including cardiac surgery, oncology, transplantation, reproductive medicine, orthopedics, ophthalmology, dentistry and medical rehabilitation.
According to the prime minister, Kazakhstan’s medical specialists and clinical facilities in several fields are comparable to leading international centers, while treatment costs are significantly lower than in Europe, North America, South Korea and the Gulf countries.
Kazakhstan seeks to become a regional medical hub
The government is working to establish a unified Central Asian medical hub based on the country’s existing system of high-tech medical care.
“The hub will allow Kazakhstan to position itself as a regional center of advanced medical services and innovation for neighboring countries. Kazakhstan has significant potential in medical tourism, and among Central Asian countries, only our country provides a number of modern and unique medical services, including proton therapy, Gamma Knife treatment and complex cardiac surgery,” Bektenov said.
According to information attached to the prime minister’s response, 10 medical organizations in Kazakhstan currently hold international Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation. Seven are located in Astana and three in Almaty.
In 2025, medical services in Kazakhstan were provided to 4,488 foreign patients. Almaty received the largest number, with 2,685 patients, followed by Astana with 1,396 and Shymkent with 300.
