Improvements in prison conditions for women in Kazakhstan: Introducing baseball shirts and bells for child inmates
Kazakhstan has witnessed a significant decline in maternal and infant mortality rates nationally, with a 12% drop in maternal mortality and an 11% decrease in infant mortality in 2024. These improvements continued into the first half of 2025, with further reductions of 10% in maternal mortality and 26% in infant mortality. However, certain regions have seen a rise in these rates, particularly in Aqmola, Jambyl, Aqtobe, Jetisu, and Abay regions, where maternal mortality is seven times the national average.
In these regions, severe extragenital diseases complicating pregnancy, obstetric complications, congenital malformations, and respiratory diseases in infants have been identified as major causes of mortality. Limited access to healthcare services, especially transport and emergency care in remote areas, and insufficient contraceptive access and healthcare infrastructure have also contributed to the problem.
The government has taken several measures to address these issues. The adoption of WHO and UNICEF clinical guidelines and postpartum hemorrhage prevention techniques nationwide, the increase in tariffs for obstetric and pediatric services, the expansion of air ambulance services, the introduction of free medications for pregnant women with chronic conditions, and the development of a comprehensive maternal health program tailored for Kazakh women are some of the steps taken.
Local authorities have been urged to allocate funds for staffing, training, infrastructure upgrades, transport for pregnant women and children, and contraceptive supply for vulnerable groups. The government has also prioritized reducing maternal and infant mortality under presidential directives, with ongoing reviews and innovations in obstetrics and pediatrics.
Despite the national progress, targeted action is urgently needed in specific regions experiencing reversal or stagnation. Key strategies include enhancing healthcare infrastructure, emergency medical transport, specialized treatment access, and preventive healthcare services at the regional level.
Recently, the Minister, Akmaral Alnazarova, shared data about high maternal and child mortality rates at a government meeting. She called for funding for medical organizations, personnel qualifications, and hospital infrastructure in the regions, and recommended providing contraceptive means to women of childbearing age from vulnerable groups and transport for pregnant women and children to regional centers.
While the specific regions with high infant mortality rates and the number of medical errors during childbirth have not been disclosed, respiratory diseases have been identified as a cause of mortality in the Akmolinsky region. The Minister did not specify the current maternal mortality rates in the regions, but perinatal conditions are the leading cause of mortality in the Akmolinsky region.
The government's efforts to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates are ongoing, with a focus on improving healthcare infrastructure and access, emergency medical services, and specialized treatment in the regions that need it most.
- The high maternal and infant mortality rates in certain regions of Kazakhstan, such as Aqmola, Jambyl, Aqtobe, Jetisu, and Abay, have prompted calls for policy-and-legislation changes in health-and-wellness, including the allocation of funds for staffing, training, infrastructure upgrades, and contraceptive supply for vulnerable groups.
- In light of the ongoing government effort to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates in Kazakhstan, initiatives like adopting WHO and UNICEF clinical guidelines, increasing tariffs for obstetric and pediatric services, and developing a comprehensive maternal health program tailored for Kazakh women fall under the general-news category.
- As the Ministry of Healthcare works to address the rise in maternal and infant mortality rates in specific regions, focusing on improving healthcare infrastructure, emergency medical transport, and specialized treatment access could lead to substantial progress in both science and general-news reporting, potentially paving the way for further reductions in these mortality rates.
