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Healthcare

UNICEF Delivers Over 500 Pieces of Medical Equipment to Tajikistan

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has handed over more than 500 units of modern medical equipment to the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population of Tajikistan in a significant move to bolster the country's healthcare system. The official handover ceremony took place on May 6 in Dushanbe and was attended by Deputy Health Minister Shodikhon Jamshed and international partners. Jamshed expressed gratitude for UNICEF’s longstanding cooperation, adding that such support plays a vital role in strengthening Tajikistan’s healthcare capacity. The new equipment, including CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machines and oxygen concentrators, will be used to treat newborns with respiratory difficulties and patients requiring oxygen therapy. “The equipment will be distributed across 73 neonatal care facilities nationwide. Additionally, training courses will be held for healthcare workers on using these devices and providing respiratory care to newborns,” Jamshed stated. Since its founding in 1946, UNICEF has been active in Tajikistan through various initiatives aimed at advancing children's rights and improving access to essential services such as education and healthcare. One of its flagship efforts includes a $1 million juvenile justice reform project, implemented in partnership with the Swiss government. The initiative seeks to establish alternative measures for minors in conflict with the law, focusing on rehabilitation and reintegration. In the field of early education, UNICEF and USAID are implementing a five-year, $7.5 million program to enhance school readiness. This includes teacher training, updated educational materials, and the promotion of inclusive learning environments. To address malnutrition, UNICEF has launched a three-year program in Khatlon and Dushanbe aimed at improving maternal and child nutrition and reducing mortality. Emphasis is placed on primary healthcare and preventive measures. In collaboration with the European Union, UNICEF is also contributing to the restoration of medical infrastructure. One example is the refurbishment of the central district hospital in Tursunzade, part of Tajikistan’s National Health Strategy 2030, designed to expand access to essential health services across the country.

STEM

Video: From Hardship to Accomplishment – Meet the Kazakh Woman Supporting Female STEM Students

Kalmakhanova Marzhan Seitkyzy is a young professor in Kazakhstan supporting female students in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), offering guidance and helping them navigate the realities of research work. Watch her story: [video width="3840" height="2160" mp4="https://timesca.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Конкурс-2.mp4"][/video]

Healthcare

Kazakhstan to Fund Health Insurance for Over A Million Unemployed Citizens

Beginning in 2026, more than one million unemployed and vulnerable citizens in Kazakhstan will be covered by the country’s compulsory medical insurance system (CMIS). Health Minister Akmaral Alnazarova announced that local and regional budgets will assume responsibility for insurance contributions on their behalf. Expanding Access to Medical Coverage Kazakhstan’s current health insurance model requires employed citizens to contribute 2% of their monthly salary, capped at 17,000 KZT (approximately $33), to the Fund for Social Medical Insurance (FSMI). Employers pay an additional 3% of each employee’s salary, while individual entrepreneurs contribute 5% of their income. However, unemployed citizens, even if officially registered, are presently excluded from the system. In response to a directive issued by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in February 2024, the Ministry of Health has drafted legislation that would enable local governments to make insurance payments for unemployed and vulnerable groups. The bill was submitted to the Mazhilis, the lower house of parliament, for consideration. “This is a step towards improving people’s health and quality of life,” Alnazarova said. “Local budgets will cover the contributions, and these individuals will receive insured status on a monthly basis, regardless of income.” The change is expected to extend coverage to over one million additional citizens, granting them access to scheduled medical care. Systemic Reforms and Contribution Cap Adjustment The ministry also proposes raising the upper limit for contribution calculations from 10 to 50 times the minimum monthly wage. As of 2025, one minimum wage is 85,000 KZT (approximately $165), making the new cap 4.25 million KZT (around $8,100). The adjustment would impact approximately 9% of employees, roughly 508,000 individuals, and their employers. “In global practice, income limits are not applied. In our country, high-income earners currently pay proportionally less than others,” Alnazarova explained, justifying the reform as a measure toward fairness and sustainability. Parliamentary Scrutiny of the Insurance Fund The draft legislation has revived long-standing criticism of the FSMI's governance. During recent Mazhilis debates, MP Murat Abenov accused the fund of lacking transparency and accountability. “The SMIF checks itself, allocates funds itself, concludes contracts itself, and determines violations itself. Many infractions go unnoticed by both ministries and the public. If not for the Supreme Audit Chamber, we wouldn’t even know that billions are being embezzled,” Abenov stated during a parliamentary session. This follows earlier opposition by several MPs to a proposed 10% tax hike on medicines and healthcare services during discussions surrounding the new Tax Code.

Healthcare

Kyrgyzstan Triples Blood Donation Compensation to Boost Supplies

The Kyrgyz government has tripled financial compensation for blood donors in a move aimed at securing adequate blood supplies for hospitals nationwide. The decision marks the first increase in donor payments since 2009. According to a government statement, the new policy is designed to promote blood donation, enhance the quality of medical care, and ensure consistent availability of blood and its components for hospitalized patients. “Despite technological advances, donated blood and its components remain an indispensable national resource,” officials noted. Under the updated compensation scheme, blood donors will now receive 800 Kyrgyz som, or approximately $9-10, in addition to a free meal on the day of donation. This represents a significant increase from the previous 300 KGS ($3-4). Double immune plasma donations will now be compensated at 1,600 KGS (about $18). Meeting Demand, Especially in Emergencies Representatives of the Republican Blood Center told The Times of Central Asia that while there is generally an adequate supply of blood across the country, occasional shortages occur, particularly with rare blood types and negative Rhesus factors. In such cases, hospitals may issue public appeals via media outlets to solicit donations. “At the moment, we are meeting the needs of all patients. However, certain blood types remain in limited supply. These are usually rare groups with a negative Rhesus factor,” a spokesperson from the center said. “The increased compensation is not only to encourage more people to donate but also to support their health. Donors need to eat well on the day they give blood, and proper nutrition supports faster recovery.” The center publishes up-to-date data on blood availability by region on its official website. Funding for the enhanced donor compensation is being drawn from the state budget, with additional support from a dedicated special account for blood donation programs.

Healthcare

Kazakhstan to Equip Emergency Medical Workers with Body Cameras in Security Push

The Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan plans to introduce body cameras for emergency medical personnel by the end of 2025, in a move aimed at increasing their protection amid rising incidents of violence. Health Minister Akmaral Alnazarova announced the initiative during a government briefing. “As for protection, we will introduce video badges that will record everything that happens. We have issued a corresponding order. Local authorities will have to allocate funds. I think we will carry out this work in stages by the end of this year,” said Alnazarova, as quoted by Zakon.kz. According to the minister, the pilot initiative may later be expanded to other categories of healthcare workers, including doctors and nurses in outpatient clinics. Alnazarova noted that body cameras are intended to deter both aggressors and healthcare workers from misconduct. In parallel, the Ministry of Health has proposed criminal penalties for assaults on medical personnel while on duty. The proposal has received support from the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Response to Violence Against Medical Staff Kazakhstan has witnessed a series of alarming assaults on healthcare professionals in recent years. In Almaty, a gynecologist was struck with a mobile phone by a patient; in Kokshetau, intensive care doctors were attacked by the parents of a child; and in Talgar, relatives of a deceased person assaulted medical staff attempting to retrieve the body. Victims have sustained severe injuries, including fractures and traumatic brain injuries. One of the most tragic incidents occurred in Almaty, where gastroenterologist Yuri Shumkov was shot and killed at point-blank range by a patient dissatisfied with his diagnosis. The suspect fled but was later apprehended. In another shocking case in the Aktobe region, a young doctor participating in the government’s “With a Diploma to the Village” program was brutally beaten and raped. From Promises to Policy Alnazarova initially announced plans for body cameras in December 2024, following a violent attack in Kostanay in which a paramedic was assaulted by relatives of a deceased woman. The ministry subsequently began drafting legal and physical protection measures for healthcare workers. “We want to ensure that our employees can work safely, using the experience of law enforcement agencies. This will be regulated at the regulatory level,” the minister stated at the time. Additional proposals under discussion include health insurance coverage for personnel at high risk of assault, aimed at compensating for physical harm and emotional trauma sustained while on duty.

Vaccination

Meet the Kyrgyz Woman Behind the Vaccine Revolution

COVID-19 exposed numerous challenges humanity has yet to address, with one of them being directly related to tackling potential future pandemics. A key aspect of this is vaccines, which have to be transported in refrigerated units. This allows them to maintain their effectiveness and safety, the so-called "cold chain infrastructure" saving them from becoming unusable. This complex transportation requirement, however, results in millions of people missing out on potentially life-saving vaccines. But does it have to be this complicated? “Motherhood changes people, irreversibly. For me it was not just becoming a parent, but it also influenced the direction of my research,” Asel Sartbaeva wrote in her 2018 article, ‘Vaccines: The End of the Cold War?’ “When my daughter was only a few days old, I took her to the doctors to be vaccinated with the BCG vaccine (against tuberculosis). The doctor took the vaccine out of the fridge and administered it directly. That’s when I asked: ‘why must vaccines be refrigerated?’ and then the natural follow-up question, ‘can I help to make them stable at room temperatures?’” Born and raised in Kyrgyzstan, Asel Sartbaeva “currently wears several hats”, as her LinkedIn profile says. She is an award-winning interdisciplinary chemist, Reader in Chemistry (Associate Professor) at the University of Bath, and the first Central Asian to obtain a PhD from University of Cambridge. Sartbaeva is also the CEO and Co-Founder of EnsiliTech, a startup with a technology that allows vaccines and other biopharmaceuticals to be stored and transported at room temperature. EnsiliTech was launched in 2022 as a project at the University of Bath, and was built on over a decade of Sartbaeva’s research into ensilication – the technique of fitting vaccine components with a silica coat to stop them from spoiling outside of refrigerated temperatures. In December 2022, EnsiliTech successfully raised £1.2 million in an oversubscribed pre-seed funding round led by Science Angel Syndicate and the Fink Family Office with co-investment from QantX, Elbow Beach Capital, angel investors and Innovate UK. In 2023, the startup won a £1.7 million grant from the British government’s Department of Health and Social Care to develop the first thermally stable mRNA vaccine in the world, to combat Hantavirus, which is found in Asia and South America. In the same year, the new startup attracted their first customer, a Global Top 10 animal vaccine company based in the EU, which paid EnsiliTech to thermally stabilise three of their vaccines. Currently, Ensilitech is planning to licence their ensilcation technology to several customers and internally developing thermally stable vaccines and antibodies. Along with her scientific and business goals, Sartbaeva is also passionate about the wider participation and girls and the women’s empowerment movement. “We need to show girls that science isn’t boring and is a great choice for girls who have a natural passion for science,” she says. In 2021, Sartbaeva became the ambassador for UNICEF’s Girls in Science programme, launched in 2020 to empower 500 girls from new settlements and rural areas so they could excel...