Kazakhstan leads Central Asia in newborn care, reports lowest neonatal mortality rate
According to a joint report by the World Bank, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the United Nations, and the Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (IGME), Kazakhstan's neonatal mortality rate (during the first 28 days of life) stood at 3.04 per 1,000 live births in 2025. This is the best indicator in Central Asia and is nearly on par with the United States, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing the Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan.
The ministry said the survival rate of infants with extremely low birth weights as low as 500 grams has increased fourfold in recent years, a success attributed by officials to advanced perinatal technologies and the collaborative expertise of neonatologists and intensive care specialists.
Neonatal intensive care nurses perform up to 20 precise medical interventions during a standard shift, while continuous monitoring equipment tracks each infant’s respiratory stability around the clock.
Last year, around 17,000 premature babies were born in Kazakhstan, and each received a full range of high-tech medical care.
According to the ministry, these achievements are the result of the systematic development of maternity care services, the introduction of modern medical technologies, and the dedicated work of the country's doctors and nurses.
Earlier, Qazinform reported Kazakhstan outranks Central Asian neighbors in the global prosperity ranking.
