Tuberculosis cases in Kazakhstan drop 11%

The incidence rate stood at 14.23 cases per 100,000 people, chief state sanitary doctor of Kazakhstan Sarkhat Beissenova said at a ministry board meeting.

Tuberculosis incidence among adolescents fell by 20.4%, with a decline also recorded among children under 14. However, nearly a third of childhood cases are detected only after patients seek medical care, underscoring the need for earlier diagnosis. The number of tuberculosis relapses also decreased by 12.1%.

Fluorographic screening covered 95.9% of people in high-risk groups, while BCG vaccination coverage among newborns reached 88.5%. The ministry said awareness efforts on vaccination will continue across the regions.

Between April and June, the ministry monitored 99.6% of healthcare facilities under a new state control and supervision system, focusing on infection control, preventive screening, and early detection of tuberculosis among children.

The monitoring resulted in 7,144 orders to address identified issues, more than 60% of which have already been implemented. The authorities also took measures prescribed by law in response to the violations found.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Kazakhstan provides three types of free cancer screening for target population groups to detect breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer at an early stage.