The neonatal mortality rate in Kazakhstan has decreased to three cases per 1,000 live births, the lowest in the region, Kazinform reported.
Achieving the UN Roadmap targets is the result of modernizing perinatal care, implementing the "Analar Saulygy" program, and establishing specialized fetal health centers. The survival rate for extremely low birth weight infants has reached 57%, while postoperative survival for congenital malformations has increased to 93%.
The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan plans to build 16 new children's hospitals and perinatal centers.
Compared to neighboring Central Asian states, Kazakhstan demonstrates consistent leadership in neonatology. While Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan continue to face high infant mortality rates due to a shortage of high-tech equipment and specialized personnel in rural areas, Astana has managed to centralize early diagnosis and develop intrauterine treatment methods.
The decline in neonatal mortality reflects the qualitative transition of Kazakhstan's healthcare system to the standards of developed countries. Investments in early prevention of congenital pathologies and the development of a network of perinatal centers reduce the long-term burden on the social budget and contribute to strengthening the country's demographic potential.
For other countries in the region, Kazakhstan's experience in integrating perinatal diagnostics and high-tech surgery can serve as a practical model for implementing their own healthcare reforms.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
October 21, 2026