Around 5,000 people in Kazakhstan await organ transplants
The Republican Transplant Coordination and High-Tech Medical Services Center of the Kazakh Healthcare Ministry held a field meeting on the development of organ donation in Mangistau region, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Such meetings were already held in the cities of Almaty, Shymkent and Aktobe. The meetings focus on the development of posthumous donation as a key resource to increase transplantations.
More than 4,600 patients in Kazakhstan are currently waiting for organ transplants. Demand is rising year after year, from 3,961 patients in 2023 to 4,506 in 2025.
At the same time, the system demonstrates growth in identifying potential donors from 49 in 2023 to 186 in 2025. Last year, 19 posthumous donors gave consent for transplants against six in 2024 and seven in 2023.
Despite growth, the number of consents from relatives remains low compared to refusals, limiting transplant opportunities.
Declarations of willingness to donate increased from 38,000 in 2023 to over 145,000 in 2025.
The key challenge remains family consent and public trust.
Director of the Center Aidar Sitkazinov emphasized that while Kazakhstan has built a transplant coordination system, the expansion of posthumous donation depends on societal awareness and confidence.
The Center is strengthening outreach by conducting field meetings, training specialists, and developing donor hospitals to increase donor consents.
To note, Kazakhstan annually performs 250-260 kidney, liver and heart transplants.