Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have agreed to jointly establish an International Academic Center for Childhood Cancer, marking a step in regional cooperation to enhance pediatric healthcare. The announcement came during the high-level conference “Dialogue for Children: Central Asia and UNICEF” held in Tashkent.
Health ministers Akmaral Alnazarova of Kazakhstan and Asilbek Khudayarov of Uzbekistan met on the sidelines of the conference to discuss joint healthcare initiatives. A key outcome was Kazakhstan’s proposal to create a specialized academic center focused on diagnosing, treating, and researching childhood cancer, with a commitment to active participation in the project.
The ministers explored several other areas of collaboration, including improving medical service quality, exchanging clinical experience, and launching joint scientific studies—particularly those addressing the environmental health impacts on residents of the Aral Sea region.
The discussions also highlighted plans to establish broader healthcare infrastructure. Kazakhstan proposed developing:
- An international hub for adult oncology and oncohematology based at the National Scientific Oncology Center.
- An international hub for pediatric cardiac surgery at the UMC Heart Center, which would also serve children from Karakalpakstan.
As part of continued collaboration, both countries agreed to organize the Days of Kazakh Medicine in Uzbekistan in 2025 and the Days of Uzbek Medicine in Kazakhstan in 2026. They also expressed support for creating a wider International Healthcare Hub to enhance regional medical capacity.
The bilateral meeting follows recent steps to deepen cooperation across various sectors. Earlier, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan announced plans to establish new truck routes at four border posts and signed three new agreements to improve customs operations and training.
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