At the Ministry of Health, with the participation of the head of the department Akmaral Alnazarova and the chairman of the board of JSC "Kazakhtelecom" Bagdat Mussin, digital solutions using artificial intelligence were discussed.
According to the ministry's press service, the projects concerned improving the safety of medical personnel, expanding access to medical care for the rural population, and reducing the burden on doctors.
One such innovation is the introduction of smart video badges to improve the safety of healthcare workers. It has become known that the technology is already being used on a pilot basis in five ambulance teams in Astana, and a launch in Almaty is planned in the near future.
The devices allow for video recording during call-outs and serve as a means of rapid response in emergency situations.
In turn, Bagdat Mussin stated his readiness to offer medical organisations a comprehensive security system, which includes video surveillance with analytics, an access control system, panic buttons, and integration of the video stream with the operational management centres of police departments.
In addition, the ministry presented the "AI Therapist" service, which is currently being tested in a number of medical institutions in the Akmola region.
"The system analyses the dialogue between doctor and patient in real time, forms a preliminary diagnosis with an accuracy of up to 80% and allows reducing the time a doctor spends on routine documentation by up to 40%," the statement said.
Furthermore, the meeting discussed another innovative product - a mobile telemedicine application, providing remote health monitoring. It is noted that with its help, Kazakh citizens will be able to measure blood pressure, pulse, body temperature, blood oxygen levels and glucose. Particular attention is paid to the use of the service in rural areas, where access to medical care is limited.
The introduction of video badges in ambulances is linked to the rising number of attacks on medics. In recent years, dozens of cases of violence against emergency and hospital staff have been recorded in various regions of Kazakhstan.
Thus, in January 2024, 36-year-old Nurbolat Dakebayev beat an ambulance driver in Karaganda. In August of the same year, he was found guilty of intentionally causing moderate harm to health from hooligan motives and sentenced to two years in prison.
In November, an ambulance paramedic from Stepnogorsk, Svetlana Oksyuta, reported being attacked while on a call. The perpetrators were not punished.
Later in December, it was reported that in Kostanay, ambulance paramedic Anel Baimurzina was beaten while on a call. The medic sustained a concussion and haematomas.
In June of this year, at the Karaganda Regional Children's Hospital, a case of violence against medical workers was also recorded. A 38-year-old resident of the region attacked two doctors. The incident occurred during a verbal altercation. The affected medics sustained bodily injuries.
In July, in the Zhambyl region, an ambulance paramedic from the Baizak District Central Hospital received a gunshot wound to the chest. He was shot by an acquaintance with whom a dispute arose over a defibrillator.
Later, at a private mammology centre in Karaganda, a man attacked a medical worker. The woman sustained multiple injuries, including a concussion. Witnesses state the incident lasted about 20 minutes: the man broke her fingers, pulled her hair and bit her.
Around the same time, a similar incident occurred with a doctor at Kostanay Regional Hospital after he had completed a complex operation. The surgeon went down to the emergency department to continue examining patients when one of those waiting struck him in the head. The medic lost consciousness and was hospitalised in intensive care in a serious condition. He was later transported by air ambulance to the National Centre for Emergency Medicine in Astana. The doctor has now regained consciousness and has been transferred to the neurology department; his condition is improving.