In 2025, drug provision became a central policy priority for the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan. According to official data, 3.6 million patients, representing approximately 18% of the country's population, are provided with free medications under the guaranteed free medical care and compulsory health insurance. The total volume of prescriptions written reached 15.6 million, amounting to 262.9 billion tenge.
A key element of the transformation was the revision of the drug lists. Around 90 drugs with insufficient evidence were excluded from the lists, while innovative drugs for the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular, and autoimmune diseases were included.
At the same time, measures were implemented to optimize procurement policies. Expanding the practice of direct contracts with manufacturers and using international procurement mechanisms allowed for a reduction in drug costs and the reallocation of freed resources to expand patient coverage. Optimizing procurement resulted in savings of 70–85 billion tenge, allowing for the reallocation of resources to expand patient coverage and the inclusion of new medications. Additionally, a large-scale price review was conducted: this affected approximately 7,900 medications, resulting in an average reduction of 11%, and for some vital medications, up to 20% or more.
At the same time, the resilience of the drug supply system has been strengthened. A minimum stockpile of approximately 21 billion tenge of medications has been established, covering needs for 2-3 months. The list of medications included in the reserve has been expanded from 12 to 341 items. At the same time, measures have been implemented to improve logistics efficiency: delivery times have been reduced from 10 to 5 days, and the warehouse infrastructure has been expanded from 9 to 18 facilities, reducing the risk of supply disruptions.
Digitalization of processes has become a separate focus. In 2025, digital labeling mechanisms for medications and their dispensing through electronic services, including the "Social Wallet," were actively implemented. The share of electronic prescriptions reached approximately 90%. These measures ensured traceability of medications throughout the supply chain, contributed to increased tax revenues in the retail sector, and helped prevent illegal trafficking—specifically, the resale of at least 15,000 packages of medications.
At the same time, accelerated registration procedures are being implemented for drugs previously approved in countries with strong drug regulatory systems, with review periods of up to 15 business days. This will reduce the time it takes for new drugs to reach the market and improve access to modern treatments for patients.
Источник: Фармацевтическое обозрение Казахстана
A key element of the transformation was the revision of the drug lists. Around 90 drugs with insufficient evidence were excluded from the lists, while innovative drugs for the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular, and autoimmune diseases were included.
At the same time, measures were implemented to optimize procurement policies. Expanding the practice of direct contracts with manufacturers and using international procurement mechanisms allowed for a reduction in drug costs and the reallocation of freed resources to expand patient coverage. Optimizing procurement resulted in savings of 70–85 billion tenge, allowing for the reallocation of resources to expand patient coverage and the inclusion of new medications. Additionally, a large-scale price review was conducted: this affected approximately 7,900 medications, resulting in an average reduction of 11%, and for some vital medications, up to 20% or more.
At the same time, the resilience of the drug supply system has been strengthened. A minimum stockpile of approximately 21 billion tenge of medications has been established, covering needs for 2-3 months. The list of medications included in the reserve has been expanded from 12 to 341 items. At the same time, measures have been implemented to improve logistics efficiency: delivery times have been reduced from 10 to 5 days, and the warehouse infrastructure has been expanded from 9 to 18 facilities, reducing the risk of supply disruptions.
Digitalization of processes has become a separate focus. In 2025, digital labeling mechanisms for medications and their dispensing through electronic services, including the "Social Wallet," were actively implemented. The share of electronic prescriptions reached approximately 90%. These measures ensured traceability of medications throughout the supply chain, contributed to increased tax revenues in the retail sector, and helped prevent illegal trafficking—specifically, the resale of at least 15,000 packages of medications.
At the same time, accelerated registration procedures are being implemented for drugs previously approved in countries with strong drug regulatory systems, with review periods of up to 15 business days. This will reduce the time it takes for new drugs to reach the market and improve access to modern treatments for patients.
Источник: Фармацевтическое обозрение Казахстана
