In the Zhambyl region, an ambulance paramedic from the Baizak District Central Hospital suffered a gunshot wound to the chest. He was shot by an acquaintance following a dispute over a defibrillator.
According to CentralMedia24.kz, the incident occurred on the morning of 10th July. It became known that a resident of the village of Baizak came to see his acquaintance, the paramedic, at work and asked to see how the defibrillator works.
In turn, the medic explained that the device could not be used for purposes other than its intended one, as it could be dangerous for a healthy person. After this, a conflict arose between the acquaintances, during which the villager shot the paramedic with a traumatic weapon.
The regional health department reported that the victim's condition is assessed as stable, of moderate severity.
"The patient's diagnosis is a gunshot wound to the front wall of the chest on the left without damage to internal organs. The patient is being observed in a dynamic ward. His condition is dynamic with no deterioration," the department added.
This is not the first case of aggression against medical workers in the country. In January 2024, 36-year-old Nurbolat Dakebayev beat an ambulance driver in Karaganda. In August of that year, he was found guilty of intentionally causing moderate harm to health from hooligan motives and was sentenced to two years' imprisonment.
In November, an ambulance paramedic from Stepnogorsk, Svetlana Oksyuta, reported an attack on her during a call-out. Those responsible did not face any punishment.
Later, in December, it was reported that in Kostanay, ambulance paramedic Anel Baimurzina was beaten during a call-out. The medic sustained a concussion and haematomas.
In June of this year, the Karaganda Regional Children's Hospital also recorded a case of violence against medical workers. At that time, a 38-year-old resident of the region attacked two doctors. The incident occurred during a verbal conflict. The affected medics sustained bodily injuries.
A series of incidents with medical workers highlights a systemic problem. Doctors and paramedics providing emergency care are becoming targets of aggression while performing their professional duties. Moreover, not all cases of attacks result in real punishment for the perpetrators — this creates an atmosphere of impunity and can provoke further incidents.
According to the Ministry of Health, over the last four years there have been more than 150 cases of attacks on ambulance staff. In this regard, video badges for medics — devices with a camera, GPS and an emergency button — have begun to be tested in Astana and Almaty.