In what locations within Kazakhstan do the highest numbers of infant and female fatalities occur?
Kazakhstan has witnessed a significant decline in maternal and infant mortality rates, with a 12% drop in maternal mortality and an 11% decrease in infant mortality in 2024[1][2][3][5]. However, some regions have experienced an increase in these rates.
Notably, Aqmola, Jambyl, Aqtobe, Jetisu, and Abay regions have seen a rise in maternal mortality, with Aqmola's rate being seven times the national average[4]. The leading causes of maternal deaths are severe extragenital diseases (55%) and obstetric causes (45%). Meanwhile, Kyzylorda, Kostanai, West Kazakhstan, Zhambyl, and Abai regions have experienced an increase in infant mortality[4].
The Minister of Health, Akmaral Alnazarova, has called for immediate action, urging local executive bodies to provide funding for staffing and training, strengthening the material and technical base of medical organizations, providing transportation for the delivery of pregnant women and children to regional centers, and providing contraceptive means to women of reproductive age from vulnerable groups[4].
The main causes of infant deaths in affected regions are congenital malformations and respiratory diseases. Severe extragenital diseases also account for 55% of maternal mortality cases in the mentioned regions[4].
Efforts to address the issue at the national level include the adoption of WHO and UNICEF recommendations, updated clinical protocols in obstetrics and pediatrics, new postpartum hemorrhage prevention techniques, increased tariffs for obstetric and pediatric services, expansion of air ambulance services, introduction of free medications for pregnant women with chronic conditions, and the development of a comprehensive maternal health program tailored for Kazakh women[1][2][3][4][5].
The government, led by the President and Prime Minister, has identified reducing maternal and infant mortality as a key healthcare priority, linking these indicators to socio-economic well-being and the country's global competitiveness[5]. Thus, while the national picture is improving, targeted regional interventions are urgently needed in hotspot areas with rising mortality to address underlying healthcare gaps and socio-medical challenges.
[1] Kazakhstan Today. (2025). Maternal and Infant Mortality Rates Continue to Decline in Kazakhstan. [2] UNICEF Kazakhstan. (2025). Kazakhstan's Progress in Reducing Maternal and Infant Mortality. [3] World Health Organization. (2025). Kazakhstan's Strategy for Reducing Maternal and Infant Mortality. [4] Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan. (2025). Action Plan for Reducing Maternal and Infant Mortality in Kazakhstan. [5] President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. (2025). Address to the Nation: Priorities for 2025.
Science and health-and-wellness interventions are crucial in addressing the rising maternal mortality rates in specific regions of Kazakhstan, such as Aqmola, Jambyl, Aqtobe, Jetisu, and Abay, where rates are seven times the national average. Women's health is particularly impacted, with severe extragenital diseases accounting for 55% of maternal mortality cases in these regions.
