Kazakhstan to carry out healthcare reforms

AKIPRESS.COM - President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev said Kazakhstan should learn lessons from the coronavirus pandemic and then carry out healthcare sector reforms.
"We will revise work of the Ministry of Health now. The respective reforms will be carried out. Particularly, the powers of the chief sanitary inspector will be enhanced," President Tokayev said during visit to the modular infectious disease hospital for 200 beds, which was erected for 2 weeks.
"Each crisis brings lessons that should be learnt. We are learning lessons from the crisis and pandemic now. Indeed, for various reasons a proper attention was not paid to development and proper maintenance of the epidemiological service during the past several years," the President said.
Tokayev reminded Kazakhstan was among the first countries in the CIS region to declare quarantine. "I understand that quarantine is not convenient for all citizens, but there is no other way out. In any way, we will keep this quarantine until the end of this month and we will decide what to do next," the President said.
The state of emergency and quarantine are in effect in Kazakhstan since mid-March. They were extended until April 30. A part of enterprises resumed their work in Nur-Sultan and Almaty this week.