Kazakhstan Sees 12.5% Rise in Fetal Pathology Detection, Cuts Infant Mortality

Kazakhstan has reported a significant decrease in infant mortality and disability, a success attributed to the nationwide implementation of digital patronage systems and the expansion of early intervention centers.

Comprehensive measures to protect maternal and child health have enhanced the early diagnosis of congenital disorders and reduced several key indicators of child mortality. Congenital malformations and chromosomal pathologies remain the leading causes of infant death and childhood disability in the country, with up to 400 children born annually with chromosomal diseases.

To improve early detection, a national standard for medical-genetic care has been established for the first time. "One-Day Clinics" have been organized across 19 regions, where pregnant women can undergo screening for fetal abnormalities within an hour. In the reporting period, approximately 100,000 pregnant women received over 500,000 medical services through this initiative.

The country has also launched the QazGenis registry for congenital and hereditary pathology, which utilizes artificial intelligence algorithms. Plans are underway this year to integrate this registry into broader medical information systems and initiate screening of couples for spinal muscular atrophy.

These implemented measures have yielded concrete results: detection rates for congenital fetal malformations have increased by 12.5%. The frequency of births of children with Down syndrome has fallen by 12%, from 373 to 296 cases per year. Furthermore, disability due to congenital pathologies has been reduced by 7%.

Advances in fetal surgery have saved the lives of 99 unborn newborns, and 82 multiple-fetus pregnancies have been successfully delivered.

Efforts are simultaneously strengthening primary healthcare. In 2024, 352 pediatric departments were opened in primary care facilities. Since 2025, a network of 336 child development and early intervention centers has been operational, providing consultations for over 72,000 children. The detection rate for developmental disorders has surged by 21.5%, reaching nearly 36,000 cases, while referrals to psychological-medical-pedagogical commissions have more than doubled.

The nation's healthcare system is supported by around 4,000 patronage nurses working under a universal-progressive model of family monitoring. International-level trainers have been prepared, leading to the training of over two thousand specialists. Patronage record-keeping has been digitized using GPS navigation and photo documentation.

This digital shift has contributed to a notable reduction in at-home child mortality by 22% and decreased late hospitalizations in critical condition by five percent. In a further step towards integrated care management system was introduced in Kazakhstan: a digital child profile that monitors health from birth until age eighteen tracks vaccination records provides an electronic passport required for enrollment into kindergarten school