A doctor at City Polyclinic No. 2 in Taldykorgan has complained that her documents were circulated in a general WhatsApp chat for training participants. After she asked for the files to be deleted, the other party, who introduced herself as an employee of the regional health department, reminded the doctor of her official position.
HOW THE CONFLICT AROSE
A Threads user under the handle b07ashka_ published screenshots of a correspondence related to a Disease Management training programme held on 19–24 October 2026.
According to the published materials, documents belonging to medical workers were circulated in a WhatsApp group with 53 participants. The doctor said that materials containing her personal data had been sent to the general chat and demanded that they be deleted.
She stressed that she had not refused to provide the necessary documents to the training organisers. Her complaint concerned specifically the dissemination of the information among the members of the general chat.
REGIONAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVE POINTED OUT HER POSITION TO THE DOCTOR
During the exchange, the woman who introduced herself as an employee of the regional health department asked why the training side could not obtain the doctor's documents and spoke of complaints about a lack of feedback.
After the demand to delete the personal data, she replied:
"I'm from the regional health department. I hope you're aware of who you're writing to! Send the documents to whoever requested them, am I supposed to sit and do it for you?"
The doctor regarded this response as an attempt to exert pressure through official status.
In addition, according to the author of the post, after the exchange the other party complained about her to the deputy director.
In her post, the medical worker also drew attention to the other party's remark asking her not to write during working hours. In the doctor's view, her demand to ensure the confidentiality of her personal data received no proper attention.
WHAT THE LAW SAYS ON PERSONAL DATA
Under the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Personal Data and its Protection", the collection and processing of personal data are, as a general rule, permitted with the consent of the data subject, except in cases provided for by law.
Article 11 obliges owners, operators and third parties who have gained access to restricted-access personal data to ensure its confidentiality and to prevent its dissemination without the consent of the subject or another lawful basis.
Article 14 establishes that personal data must be used only for the purposes for which it was originally collected. Under Article 15, the dissemination of such data is permitted subject to the conditions established by law, including with the consent of the subject. Dissemination beyond the originally stated purposes also requires consent.
Thus, providing documents for participation in training does not in itself constitute consent to their dissemination among all members of a general chat.
PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED CASE OF PERSONAL DATA DISSEMINATION
Earlier, FBRK reported on a similar case that occurred in April 2026. At that time, the matter concerned the dissemination of personal and medical data of students at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University through internal chats. After the information emerged, the university initiated an internal investigation.
