From 2027, a new system for providing emergency medical care will come into force in Kazakhstan. The main changes will involve the redistribution of responsibilities between ambulance stations and teams created at polyclinics. Calls will be divided according to the degree of urgency, with priority given to cases that pose a threat to life.
As reported by 24.kz, according to the new norms, the procedure for responding to requests will depend on the time of day. During the daytime, patients will receive emergency care from teams based at polyclinics; at night, responsibility will shift to ambulance stations. The single emergency helpline 103 will continue to operate around the clock.
"Currently, polyclinics work until 8 p.m. in accordance with the labour code, and they do not have night shifts. Furthermore, the number of teams in polyclinics is limited, which creates a risk of untimely assistance. One team is provided for every 35,000 people, whereas at ambulance stations, groups can take over from each other," said the head of the department for organising medical care, Assel Kydyraliyeva.
At the same time, calls to the number 103 will be divided into four categories depending on urgency. It is noted that the number of requests for first aid continues to grow. In 2024 alone, 8.5 million calls were recorded, and a significant proportion of patients were dissatisfied with the teams' arrival times.
In turn, the Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Akmaral Alnazarova, clarified that next year it is planned to transfer powers to local executive bodies for financing and regulating the work of emergency teams. This concerns, in particular, issues of transport provision, the construction of garages, and an increase in the number of duty teams.
Also, as part of the innovations, it is planned to approve a list of grounds for calling first aid. In emergency cases, if it is impossible to get through to number 103, alternative communication channels are to be introduced.