Kazakhstan to Audit Healthcare System

Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Alikhan Smailov has ordered the government to conduct an audit of the country’s healthcare system.

Smailov has criticized the way the system coordinates its activity and estimates the efficacy of public spending in the Ministry of Health and Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).

In 2021, the country’s spending on health reached $5.2 billion or 2.9% of the GDP. At the same time, about 90% of the national budget for health is administered by the SHIF.

The prime minister highlighted that SHIF demonstrates poor results and hasn’t reflected the real needs of the population in medical services. He’s ordered the government to develop a clear and effective system of control for spending in the healthcare system and the insurance fund.

Smailov noted that SHIF has to shift from managing public funds to the development of insurance medicine and searching for new sources of funding.