Report on Maternal and Infant Health in Kazakhstan in the Context of Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

This report outlines the status of maternal and infant health in Kazakhstan, evaluating national progress and regional challenges against the framework of Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3): Good Health and Well-being. While Kazakhstan has demonstrated significant national progress in reducing maternal and infant mortality rates, aligning with SDG Targets 3.1 and 3.2, severe regional disparities threaten the uniform achievement of these goals. Strategic interventions, including increased health financing and digitalization, support the country’s commitment to SDG 3. However, urgent action is required to address rising mortality rates in specific regions and ensure equitable health outcomes for all citizens.

Progress Towards SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

Reduction in Maternal and Infant Mortality (Targets 3.1 & 3.2)

Kazakhstan has made notable strides in advancing SDG Target 3.1 (reduce maternal mortality) and Target 3.2 (end preventable deaths of newborns and children). National data indicates a consistent downward trend:

• In 2024, the maternal mortality ratio decreased by 12 percent to 10.1 per 100,000 live births, and the infant mortality rate fell by 11 percent to 6.88 per 1,000 live births.
• This positive trend was sustained through the first half of 2025, with a further 10 percent reduction in maternal mortality and a 26 percent reduction in infant mortality.

Strategic Interventions and Health System Strengthening (Targets 3.8 & 3.c)

The improvements are attributed to a series of strategic initiatives aimed at strengthening the healthcare system, in line with SDG Target 3.8 (achieve universal health coverage) and Target 3.c (increase health financing and workforce).

1. Policy and Protocol Alignment: Clinical protocols in obstetrics and pediatrics have been updated nationwide based on recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.
2. Increased Health Financing: Since June 2024, tariffs for obstetric and pediatric services have been increased. This measure has improved access to essential medications, alleviated the financial debt of medical institutions, and helped attract qualified specialists.
3. Enhanced Access in Remote Areas: The expansion of air ambulance services has been critical, successfully providing emergency care to 96 percent of women in labor and their newborns in remote locations, directly supporting universal health coverage.
4. Access to Medicines: In 2025, the government expanded the list of free medications to include treatments for pregnant women with conditions such as pyelonephritis, diabetes, and hypertension, reinforcing financial risk protection under SDG 3.8.
5. Rural Healthcare Infrastructure: “Salaawatty Ana” (Healthy Mother) boarding houses have been established in the Turkestan, East Kazakhstan, and Akmola regions to provide pre-hospital and post-rehabilitation care for women with high-risk pregnancies, addressing rural health disparities.
6. Healthcare Digitalization: Nationwide implementation of the electronic child health passport and a digital monitoring system for early detection of pediatric health issues are underway to improve health outcomes and data management.

Challenges and Regional Disparities in Achieving SDG 3

Regional Reversals in Mortality Rates

Despite national progress, several regions are experiencing a reversal of these positive trends, indicating significant challenges in the equitable achievement of SDG 3.

• Rising Maternal Mortality: Increases have been recorded in the Akmola, Zhambyl, Aktobe, Kostanay, Zhetysu, and Abai regions. The situation in Akmola is particularly critical, with a maternal mortality rate seven times the national average.
• Rising Infant Mortality: Increases have been observed in the Kostanay, West Kazakhstan, Zhambyl, Abai, and Zhetysu regions.

Contributing Factors to Setbacks

The primary factors undermining progress towards SDG Targets 3.1 and 3.2 in these regions include:

• Severe extragenital conditions in mothers.
• Acute obstetric complications.
• Congenital malformations in infants.
• Neonatal respiratory disorders.

Future Directives and Regulatory Enhancements

Strengthening Oversight and Accountability

In response to these regional challenges, the Ministry of Health will implement stricter regulatory measures from September 2025 to ensure quality control and accountability, which are vital for sustaining progress on SDG 3.

• The Medical and Pharmaceutical Control Committee will be empowered to suspend the licenses of non-compliant medical facilities and dismiss uncertified personnel.
• Qualification standards for healthcare professionals will be elevated.
• Patient support services will be expanded to improve advocacy and care quality.

Broader Context: Demographic Trends

These healthcare initiatives are occurring within a broader context of a declining national birth rate. This demographic trend presents a long-term consideration for Kazakhstan’s strategy to achieve and sustain its health and development goals.

SDGs Addressed in the Article

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• The article’s primary focus is on public health, specifically maternal and infant health in Kazakhstan. It details national efforts to reduce mortality rates, improve healthcare services, and ensure better health outcomes for mothers and children. This directly aligns with the core objective of SDG 3, which is to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.”
• Specific examples from the article include the announcement of reduced maternal and infant mortality rates, the revision of clinical protocols, increased tariffs for obstetric and pediatric services, the use of air ambulances for remote areas, and the provision of free medications for pregnant women.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• The article highlights significant regional disparities in health outcomes. While national averages for maternal and infant mortality are improving, the minister acknowledges that these rates are increasing in specific regions like Akmola, Zhambyl, and Kostanay.
• The mention that maternal mortality in the Akmola region is “seven times the national average” is a clear indicator of inequality in access to and quality of healthcare services between different parts of the country. Efforts to address this, such as opening “Salaawatty Ana” boarding houses in specific regions and strengthening regulatory oversight, are attempts to reduce these inequalities, which is the central goal of SDG 10.

Specific SDG Targets Identified

1. Target 3.1: By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births.

   The article directly addresses this target by reporting on Kazakhstan’s maternal mortality rate. The Health Minister announced a reduction to “10.1 deaths per 100,000 live births” in 2024, with a further 10 percent drop in the first half of 2025. This shows a clear effort and progress towards the global target.

2. Target 3.2: By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births.

   This target is addressed through the reporting of infant mortality rates. The article states that infant mortality dropped to “6.88 deaths per 1,000 live births” in 2024, with another 26 percent reduction in early 2025. This progress directly contributes to the goal of ending preventable deaths of newborns and young children.

3. Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.

   The article implies efforts towards this target through several initiatives. The increase in tariffs for services to improve access to “expensive medications” and attract “qualified specialists” points to improving the quality of care. The provision of “free drugs” for pregnant women with specific conditions and the establishment of “Salaawatty Ana” boarding houses for pre-hospital and postnatal care are measures to ensure access to essential healthcare services without financial hardship.

Indicators Mentioned or Implied

1. Indicator 3.1.1: Maternal mortality ratio.

   This indicator is explicitly mentioned and quantified in the article. The text states the maternal mortality rate was “10.1 deaths per 100,000 live births” in 2024, providing a precise measurement of progress.

2. Indicator 3.2.1: Under-5 mortality rate & Indicator 3.2.2: Neonatal mortality rate.

   The article uses the “infant mortality” rate as a key metric, which is a component of these indicators. It is explicitly quantified as “6.88 deaths per 1,000 live births” in 2024. The discussion of neonatal respiratory disorders as a cause of death further connects to the neonatal mortality indicator.

3. Implied Indicator: Access to essential health services.

   While not a formal UN indicator number, progress is measured through several service-related metrics mentioned in the article. These include the use of “air ambulance services” which have saved “96 percent of women in labor and their newborns in remote areas,” the opening of “Salaawatty Ana” (Healthy Mother) boarding houses in three regions, and the introduction of an “electronic child health passport” to monitor pediatric health.

4. Implied Indicator: Access to essential medicines.

   The article points to this by stating that “medications for pregnant women with conditions such as pyelonephritis, diabetes, and hypertension were added to the list of free drugs,” indicating an improvement in the availability and affordability of essential medicines for a vulnerable population.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

Source: timesca.com