WEEKLY REVIEW: Kazakhstan modernizes cancer service, enhances coop with IDB
On Monday, Transport and Communications Minister Askar Zhumagaliyev told that in 2011 Kazakhstan ranked 38th in the UN e-Government Development Index, 2nd in e-Participation, 14th in online services. Kazakhstan provides with 219 interactive and transactional services under the e-government. The number of registered users of the e-gov portal increased 2.7 times in 2011 against 2010.
"A number of oncologic diseases in Kazakhstan increase annually," Kazakh Health Minister Salidat Kairbekova said at the Monday Government's sitting. According to her, just 47.2% of diseases are detected at early stages. Today more than 144 thousand people are registered in the National Oncologic Registry.
It is necessary to take into account that the population forecast for increase in people's lifetime will inevitably result in increased cancer incidence rate in the future. Annual growth of cancer by an average 5 % is observed in the world.
She also named the main problems of the country's oncology service. According to the Minister, these are the shortage of qualified medical personnel, lack of logistics, oncology and outpatient organizations, poor equipment, lack of modern technologies of early diagnosis and cancer awareness among the population and doctors. In addition, the unavailability of innovative cancer treatments forces our patients to go for treatment abroad.
Besides, the Kazakh Government adopted a draft correctional system program for 2012-2015.
Kazakh Minister of Interior Affairs Kalmukhanbet Kassymov explained the draft program provides measures on increasing the effectiveness of re-socialization of persons, who served such sentence as imprisonment. In this regard it is planned to build special dormitories at prisons.
In addition, in order to stabilize the situation in the colonies it is planned to ensure able-bodied convicts with paid job. For this purpose there will be created additional capacities, types of production. Orders will be placed at the enterprises of the correctional system. Training of convicts will be organized. The program includes measures to improve health service as well.
On Tuesday, Kazakh Education and Science Minister and UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova signed an agreement on foundation of a regional centre for glacier research in Central Asia in Almaty. The ever-first centre under the aegis of UNESCO will contribute to solution of regional and national problems concerning development of the main trends of glacier research.
The same day Kazakh PM Karim Massimov met with Head of the Russian Government Dmitry Medvedev. Massimov noted that bilateral intergovernmental meetings give impulse to improving bilateral relations and benefit both countries. Medvedev said that "in addition to the friendly partnership relations that bind our two countries, in recent years we have made significant progress in bilateral relations and in terms of international integration."
The Russian Prime Minister also noted the growth of trade. "This is due both to the activation of trade and economic relations, and integration processes that occur between the three member states of the Customs Union," he concluded.
"Kazakhstan plans to set up 13 industrial zones in 8 regions," 1st Vice Minister of Industry and New Technologies Albert Rau told in Astana on May 29.
Industrial zones will let enterprises reduce significantly their expenses to lay infrastructure resources for the industrial organization, especially, in the regions which observe entrepreneurship boost. There are 4 industrial zones in Kazakhstan so far.
On Thursday Vice Minister Transport and Communications Roman Sklyar told that reconstruction of the Almaty-Khorgos highway section will start by the end of 2012. The 304 km long road is a part of the West Europe-West China international transit corridor.
Comparative benchmarking shows that Kazakhstan generally meets the standards of the International Labour Organization on social support of women and children, Kazakh Minister of Labour and Social Protection Gulshara Abdykalikova stated at the conference on child protection in the Majilis on Friday.
"For implementing the best international practices Kazakhstan ratified the ILO Maternity Protection Convention this year," Abdykalikova said.
In Kazakhstan every mother receives child care allowance during one year after giving birth, which is increasing with each consequent child. The amount of benefits for the birth of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd child is 48,540 tenge, or 261 euros; for 4th or more - 80,900 tenge, or 436 euros, which exceeds the level of benefits in such European countries as Poland - 120 euros, Estonia - 310 euro.
On women's right to maternity leave Kazakhstan exceeds the duration of maternity leave recommended by ILO of 14 weeks, and provides women with 18 weeks of paid vacation, and if the woman lives in the area of nuclear exposure, she is granted 24 weeks. Kazakhstan indicators are above the average of European countries, where it ranges from 13 to 20 weeks, except for Denmark - 28 weeks and France - 26 weeks.
On the remaining recommendations G.Abdykalikova reported that they all are met and regulated by the legislation. For example, Kazakhstan approved a list of 299 occupations that are harmful to women's health. In addition to the recommended minimum standards the government provides targeted social assistance and welfare payments for children under 18 years of age. At the same time families raising children with disabilities receive monthly state social allowance.