Kazakhstan has become the first country in Central Asia to meet the global target of reducing premature deaths from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) by 25% by 2025, according to a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe.
The WHO/Europe report, “Avoidable mortality, risk factors and policies for tackling noncommunicable diseases – leveraging data for impact,” highlights Kazakhstan’s progress in combating cardiovascular diseases and cancer — the two leading causes of death in the region — through a combination of prevention, early detection, and improved treatment.
“Kazakhstan’s success shows how strong political will and targeted public health strategies can save lives,” said Dr Gundo Weiler, Director for Prevention and Health Promotion at WHO/Europe. “From stroke care centres to tobacco control, the country has implemented wide-ranging measures that are already making a measurable impact.”
Noncommunicable diseases account for 90% of all deaths in the WHO European Region, including in Kazakhstan. Recognizing the burden of cardiovascular disease, the country has expanded access to lifesaving care. Between 2017 and 2024, the number of catheterization labs offering emergency heart procedures grew from 31 to 49. Meanwhile, 83 stroke emergency centres now operate nationwide, significantly reducing mortality and disability from strokes.
Kazakhstan has also become a regional leader in advanced cardiac surgeries, including heart and lung transplants. In 2025, the country marked a major milestone by completing its 100th heart transplant. More than 600 ventricular assist devices have been implanted since 2012, supporting patients with advanced heart failure.
Screening programs have been scaled up across the country, now covering eight major conditions including diabetes, hypertension, and cancer. In 2024, breast and colorectal cancer screening coverage reached 70% of the target population — the highest ever recorded in Kazakhstan.
“Early diagnosis and intervention are cornerstones of our health policy,” said Dr Timur Sultangaziyev, First Vice-Minister of Health of Kazakhstan. “These measures are helping us reduce mortality and extend healthy life expectancy.”
As of 2023, life expectancy in Kazakhstan reached 75.09 years, up from 74.44 in 2022. Mortality rates have dropped steadily from a peak of 9.6 per 1,000 people in 2021 to 6.5 in both 2023 and 2024.
Kazakhstan has also introduced HPV testing to bolster cervical cancer screening. A national HPV vaccination campaign was launched in September 2024, and by early 2025, over 116,000 girls had received the vaccine — one-third of the target group.
Beyond clinical care, the country has made major strides in reducing risk factors for NCDs. Kazakhstan now has some of the strongest tobacco control measures in the post-Soviet region, including bans on smoking in public places, graphic warning labels, tax hikes, and a total ban on e-cigarettes and vapes. These efforts have contributed to a decline in smoking prevalence to around 20%.
The government has also acted to curb sugar intake, banning the sale of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in schools and, in 2024, prohibiting energy drink sales to individuals under 21.
While the country has fully implemented 50% of WHO-recommended policies and partially implemented another 36%, the WHO notes that further work is needed. Measures related to salt reduction, trans fats, and the marketing of unhealthy food to children remain limited.
Still, Kazakhstan’s efforts to improve data collection, including conducting its first STEPS survey and investing in cancer registries and health information systems, are laying the groundwork for more effective health policies in the future.
“Collaboration with WHO/Europe has been instrumental in shaping our approach,” Dr Sultangaziyev added. “We’re committed to strengthening prevention and continuing to align our health system with international standards.”
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