As Kazakhstan marks Medical Workers’ Day, celebrated annually on the third Sunday of June, new data highlights the challenging financial reality for those in the healthcare sector. According to a recent report by Energyprom.kz, medical professionals remain among the lowest-paid workers in the country.
Healthcare Among Lowest-Paid Sectors
In the first quarter of 2024, the average monthly nominal salary in Kazakhstan’s “Health and Social Services” sector stood at 312,800 tenge (approx. $605), according to the National Statistics Bureau. This figure is 26.1% lower than the national average across all economic sectors.
Healthcare ranks among the bottom five sectors for wages, joined by agriculture (248,900 KZT / $481), culture and arts (284,900 KZT / $551), and education (302,400 KZT / $584). Utility services also report low salaries at around 286,000 KZT ($553).
This is not a new trend: the healthcare sector has remained at or near the bottom of the wage rankings for over two years. In 2021, it ranked tenth from the bottom. By contrast, the mining industry leads with an average salary of 981,400 KZT ($1,898), followed by IT (859,800 KZT / $1,663) and finance and insurance (855,500 KZT / $1,654).
Post-Pandemic Stagnation
While healthcare salaries surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, growing 20-30% annually in 2020-2021, wage growth has since slowed markedly. Since 2022, real income growth has remained modest, peaking at 2.3%, with some quarters seeing declines of up to 4.6%.
Since 2019, nominal wages in healthcare have more than doubled, rising from 133,500 KZT ($258) to 315,400 KZT ($610). Yet, once inflation is factored in, the gains appear far less significant.
Analysts stress that nominal wages only provide a partial picture. In 2023, the median salary in healthcare was 250,700 KZT ($485), compared to a national median of 285,700 KZT ($553). The modal (most common) wage in healthcare was even lower.
Income Disparities Within the Profession
There is considerable wage variation among medical specialties. In 2024, the average monthly salaries were as follows:
- Therapists: 460,200 KZT ($890)
- Pediatricians: 425,900 KZT ($824)
- Surgeons: 505,700 KZT ($978)
- Cardiologists: 475,000 KZT ($919)
At the upper end of the spectrum, an interventional arrhythmologist, who performs pacemaker implantations, earns around 1.1 million KZT ($2,128) per month. Embryologists (IVF specialists) and cardiac surgeons also command high salaries, averaging 860,100 KZT ($1,664) and 768,800 KZT ($1,487), respectively.
Conversely, specialists in support roles often earn significantly less. Parasitologists receive around 200,000 KZT ($387), and occupational health physicians average 210,000 KZT ($406). Other low-paid professions include massage therapists, nurses, forensic medical experts, and microbiologists.
