The number of vaccine refusals in Kazakhstan has surged nearly fourfold over the past eight years, according to Sarkhat Beisenova, Chair of the Sanitary and Epidemiological Control Committee at the Ministry of Health.
Speaking at a recent briefing, Beisenova said the rise in vaccine hesitancy reflects a broader global trend that has also taken hold in Kazakhstan.
“If we compare with 2017, the number of refusals has increased by a factor of 3.8. At that time, around 5,300 individuals declined vaccination; this year, nearly 20,000 have already been registered. The increase is evident,” she said.
Beisenova noted that refusals span all types of vaccinations, except for flu shots, which, she said, no one has refused this year.
As part of the country’s guaranteed volume of free medical care, the government purchased 2.1 million doses of the Grippol+ influenza vaccine, enough to cover about 11% of Kazakhstan’s 20.5 million population. So far, 1.9 million people, or 9.4% of the population, have been vaccinated.
Free flu vaccination is offered to vulnerable groups, including healthcare workers, children with chronic illnesses, orphans, seniors over 65, people with disabilities, military personnel, pregnant women, and patients with cardiovascular or respiratory conditions.
“The World Health Organization forecasts that three strains of influenza, A (H1N1), A (H3N2), and B, will be dominant this season. All are included in the vaccine, which offers protection against severe forms of the disease,” Beisenova emphasized.
Since the start of the flu season, Kazakhstan has recorded 84 cases of COVID-19, alongside 150,600 cases of acute respiratory viral infection (ARVI) between October 30 and November 5. Since the beginning of autumn, the total has reached 1.2 million ARVI cases.
Laboratories have also confirmed 304 cases of influenza A (H3N2), with 173 occurring in children under the age of 14.
This year, the virus began circulating earlier than usual: the first cases appeared in early October, whereas last year’s outbreak began in November. According to Beisenova, this year’s strain is not new but consistent with typical seasonal influenza patterns.
Annually, Kazakhstan registers up to 4 million ARVI cases and around 2,000 cases of influenza, the Ministry of Health reported.
As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, this year Kazakhstani citizens have also faced medicine shortages and a sharp rise in drug prices.
