Health Minister Akmaral Alnazarova called for transparent medicine supply and compliance with procurement rules at a meeting of the Almaty Public Health Department’s board reviewing the first nine months of 2026.
She said every complaint about a medicine being issued late should be examined to establish the cause, take action and ensure that the patient receives the prescribed treatment.
Alnazarova also cited cases in which medical organisations purchased medicines that are supposed to be procured through the Single Distributor. The Pharmacy Committee was instructed to check the legality of these purchases together with the Almaty prosecutor’s office. Authorities are also to investigate reports that free medicines were sold through retail outlets, trace their distribution and identify those involved. If violations are confirmed, measures provided for by law should be taken.
Adjusting medicine requirements helped prevent excessive purchases worth more than 42.5 billion tenge nationwide, including 15.8 billion tenge in Almaty.
The city’s healthcare budget for 2026 was increased to 393.7 billion tenge. At the same time, medical organisations’ accounts payable reached 17.66 billion tenge as of September 1, up from 6.12 billion tenge at the beginning of the year.
The meeting also addressed financial discipline. The minister said spending from the Guaranteed Free Medical Care package and the Compulsory Social Health Insurance system must be transparent, medical records reliable, and managers accountable for financial and clinical results.
Almaty’s priorities include developing primary healthcare, reducing appointment waiting times, planning staffing needs, introducing digital solutions and improving the management of medical organisations. Alnazarova said each issue raised should have a specific resolution, a deadline and designated officials responsible for delivery.
