Huge task before us - to reach level of healthcare of developed countries.

How do you estimate the quality of the current healthcare system in Kazakhstan? Does it correspond to the level of the social and economic development of our country?

Our healthcare system still has a lot of unresolved problems. There are a lot of issues as far as we live and work in such dynamically developing country as Kazakhstan. There is a huge task before us - to reach the level of healthcare of developed countries. The state has large potential and economic opportunities to achieve it. According to the last rating Kazakhstan ranked 87^th on infant mortality, the 94^th place on tuberculosis, the 23rd place on HIV and the 101st one on life expectancy. 

Today the social and economic policy of the state including the public health service leaves on the new level characterized by propaganda of healthy life style among the Kazakh people.

When holding the Mazhilis deputy office you criticized the Government including the Ministry of Healthcare on the issues of the state healthcare system financing. Do you intend to achieve revision of parameters of the budget particular concerning guaranteed health care services,  free medicines and increasing salary of medical personnel?

Despite the influence of the world economic crisis the budget expenses for public healthcare increased up to 54 per cent amounted to KZT 185.9 bln this year against 2008. The Ministry submitted demand for KZT 27 bln for the actions scheduled in 2010 within the budgetary demand for 2010-2012.

In addition, by the Decree of the Government additional payments were fixed for the staff of anti-tuberculosis institutions, specialists of neonatologic and hematologic clinics, general duty nurses of newborn physiology and pathology department, prematurely born department as well as surgery medical nurses and those practicing chemotherapy to hematologic patients.

There has been recently outlined the bill "On health of the nation and healthcare system" that was presented the Mazhilis deputies. Some regulations of the bill can be interpreted as an attempt to restrict competition at the pharmaceutical market. What is the legislative basis for such kind of measures?

After devaluation of tenge we tried not to admit sharp jump of the prices for medicines.. For this purpose several memorandums on the control of prices has been concluded between mayors, manufacturers, pharmacologists and drug stores. Within the limits of the Memorandum home pharmaceutical producers assumed the obligation not to increase cost of home made production whereas the foreign manufacturers - to give additional discounts on the level of services provided to state health institutions within the limits of the guaranteed volume of free health care services.

The ministry developed and coordinated the list of medicines with special fixed prices (about100 items) which are more often used by low income families and vulnerable group of population

You have reiterated insufficiency of the measures taken by the Government on prevention of the socially significant diseases, high level of infant mortality. What is done in this direction for improvement of the situation?

To date we have established an interdepartmental working group that reconsiders a range of regulatory legal acts, including the list of socially significant diseases.

A number of state and sectoral programs aimed at improvement of the social situation, welfare and health of the people is under realization now. State programs on improvement of maternal and child health, further development of primary medical care, formation of healthy lifestyle and others have been realized by the Kazakh Ministry of Healthcare since 2005. Besides, realization of a program aimed at reduction of maternal and infant mortality was started in 2008.  Last December we adopted the Law "On special social services". Today state bodies set to elaboration and realization of subordinate acts.

What is your attitude towards various healers working in our country many of whom speculate on the religious feelings of people?

The activity of the folk healers firstly received regimentation in 1997 within the adoption of the Law "On people's health protection".

Today individuals with medical education and corresponding license, issued by local department of healthcare, have the right for treatment by folk medicine methods. Individuals who do not have medical education and wish to heal people must have corresponding certificates issued by the Control Committee in the sphere of medical services.

I would like to warn people on the following. Visiting a healer you should make sure that he has a license and medical education or certificate, issued to people without education in exceptional cases.        

The folk medicine should have its development; we can't deny traditional methods and skills. Many developed countries open centers on studying the Tibetan, Chinese and other medicines.  

As earlier reported, many people refuse to have their children vaccinated due to religious reasons, thus exposing them to getting infected with various diseases. What kind of responsibility does legislation envisage in regard to the preachers propagating mistrust to the modern medicine?

One of the weakest points of the preventive medicine  where vaccination holds leading positions  is insufficient explanatory work among the population, especially among parents. 

It is necessary to understand that unvaccinated child faces risks of getting infectious diseases.

The current legislation of the republic does not provide any measures of responsibility in regard of people who refuse from vaccination.

Thank you for the interview!