Kazakhstan building 'one-stop shop' digital health system
Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture and Information, Aida Balayeva, chaired a government meeting to review plans for a unified digital healthcare system in line with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's directives, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Aida Balayeva was briefed on the digital transformation of the healthcare system. Vice Minister Yerbol Ospanov outlined plans to merge state information systems into a unified e-Densaulyq architecture. The main aim is to move from fragmented systems to a single platform where data is entered once and used by all industry participants without being re-entered.
Under the plan, healthcare information systems will be consolidated into seven key digital components. By the end of 2026, the Unified Healthcare Portal and the Unified State Medical Information System are expected to launch. The Unified Medical Data Repository is also being developed.
The new system aims to streamline processes, reduce paperwork for medical staff, and improve healthcare management. The centerpiece will be the Medical Data Repository, which already connects more than 12 medical information systems. It will feed into a Digital Patient Health Passport, compiling a complete medical history regardless of region or clinic.
For doctors, this means a one-stop shop principle allowing access to patient histories, test results, prescriptions, and past treatments without switching between systems. For patients, it means shorter wait times and better care.
Other digital projects include smart video beacons for ambulance teams, video surveillance with analytics, a "cold chain" system for vaccines and medicines, and expanded telemedicine for rural clinics.
The meeting also reviewed the results of a national project aimed at improving rural healthcare access, developing primary care infrastructure, modernizing district hospitals, and strengthening the industry's workforce.
All 655 planned primary care facilities have been completed, with 639 now under district hospital management and 587 licensed. Modernization is underway at 32 central district hospitals.
Aida Balayeva instructed to continue efforts to develop the healthcare digital infrastructure and ensure a timely implementation of activities for the national project.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Kazakhstan developed the Bastau comprehensive program to boost child health.