The Ministry of Healthcare of Kazakhstan, the WHO Country Office in Kazakhstan, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have launched a strategic partnership to elevate Kazakhstan’s health security and pandemic preparedness. This collaboration, supported by a three-year grant from the Pandemic Fund, aims to significantly upgrade the country's health infrastructure.
“The 2020 pandemic underscored the critical need for robust health systems. Timely detection, information, and preventive measures are essential for global safety,” stated Zaure Akhmetova, Deputy Chair of the Committee for Sanitary and Epidemiological Control of the Ministry of Healthcare of Kazakhstan.
The initiative marks a pivotal advancement in Kazakhstan's ability to manage and respond to infectious disease threats. Key components of the project include:
- Renovation and Modernization: The virological laboratory in Almaty will be renovated, and a new laboratory will be constructed in Turkestan. Both facilities will feature SMART (Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology) principles and environmentally friendly technologies.
- Upgraded Infrastructure: The National Research Centre for Problems of Especially Dangerous Infections will undergo significant renovations to enhance its virological and bacteriological laboratories.
- Sanitary and Quarantine Checkpoints: Modernization efforts will also target sanitary and quarantine checkpoints across Kazakhstan to improve disease surveillance and control measures.
Dr. Skender Syla, WHO Representative in Kazakhstan, emphasized the importance of applying pandemic lessons to improve health infrastructure:
“Health infrastructure is crucial for quality healthcare and emergency preparedness. Our focus is on creating lasting improvements.”
Katarzyna Wawiernia, UNDP Resident Representative in Kazakhstan, highlighted the partnership’s impact:
“This collaboration represents a united effort to enhance Kazakhstan’s health system security and set new standards for pandemic response capabilities in the region.”
The project, expected to be completed within one year and three months, will adhere to international health infrastructure standards. The Pandemic Fund, established in September 2022 and officially endorsed at the G20 Summit in Bali, supports long-term funding to help low and middle-income countries, including Kazakhstan, strengthen their pandemic preparedness.
The grant from the Pandemic Fund addresses critical public health tasks, including epidemiological surveillance, border control, laboratory safety, early detection, response, and staff training.
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