Medical tourist flow to Kazakhstan increases fivefold since 2021
International patient numbers have increased fivefold since 2021, Kazakh Healthcare Minister Akmaral Alnazarova announced at the international research-to-practice conference, "Healthcare in Kazakhstan: Medicines and Innovative Technologies. Experience and Prospects," Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
Kazakhstan is becoming a new medical tourism hub
Medical tourists are rapidly growing in Kazakhstan. Healthcare Minister Akmaral Alnazarova stated that Kazakhstan's medical tourism industry, which was merely developing just a few years ago, has firmly established itself as a regional leader.
"Just a few years ago, we spoke modestly about the potential of medical tourism. Today, I can say for sure that this potential has become a reality. Kazakhstan is becoming a new hub for medical tourism on the global map," the minister noted.
Over the past five years, the flow of medical tourists has increased fivefold. Growth has been particularly noticeable from:
China (24-fold)
India (40-fold)
Turkey (three-fold).
The geography of patients now spans 50 countries. Kazakhstan offers a strong competitive advantage: the cost of diagnostics and surgeries is 5 to 10 times lower than in the United States and Europe. Nine domestic clinics have already received international JCI accreditation, and the national accreditation system fully complies with global requirements.
Kazakhstan is a leader in Central Asia in the development of high-tech medicine. The country provides access to 80 types of high-tech medical care, including proton and gamma therapy, neuromodulation, and robot-assisted surgery.
Kazakhstan's cardiac surgery service ranks among the top 30 in the world. One leading clinic alone highlights this success, having performed 86 heart transplants, 17 lung transplants, and 460 implantations of left ventricular assist devices.
High-tech medicine, transplantology, and oncology advancements
In recent years, Kazakhstan has been actively developing new areas of expertise, including proton and gamma-ray therapy, nuclear medicine technologies, and the use of artificial intelligence in diagnostics. Kazakhstan is the only country in Central Asia that offers broad access to positron emission tomography (PET) diagnostics: 14 PET scanners installed, 11 operating nuclear medicine centers, and 10 types of radiopharmaceuticals produced.
Special attention is paid to maternal and child health. Key achievements under the state program include performing 20,000 (in vitro fertilisation) IVF procedures since 2021 and completing up to 2,000 surgical corrections of congenital anomalies in newborns annually.
Kazakhstani doctors were the first in the region to master fetal surgery. Furthermore, the introduction of robotic endoprosthetic systems has reduced surgical trauma and accelerated patient recovery.
Health resort potential and international cooperation
The Minister cited the country's unique natural healing resources as another competitive advantage.
Approximately half a million people visit sanatorium and resort organizations every year. In the coming years, this figure is expected to increase through the creation of natural medical clusters and the promotion of the Kazakhstan Health Travel brand. Following complex surgeries, patients will be able to fully recover in sanatoriums that combine natural resources and modern technology.
A key outcome of the conference was the signing of mutual support agreements between the Ministry of Healthcare and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, as well as a memorandum between the Ministry of Healthcare and the Kazakhstan Association of Medical Tourism. These documents aim to expand cooperation between public and private entities, support civil society, and develop medical exports.
The international research-to-practice conference "Healthcare in Kazakhstan: Medicines and Innovative Technologies. Experience and Prospects" is being held in the capital for the first time. It focuses on medical tourism, the pharmaceutical industry, and the implementation of innovative technologies in healthcare.
Over 500 participants gathered at the event. They include representatives from 30 diplomatic missions and international organizations, along with leading medical experts, agents, and buyers from 13 countries.
As earlier reported, Kazakhstan performs 250-260 kidney, liver, and heart transplants annually.
