Kazakhstan and the WHO Regional Committee for Europe signed a two-year cooperation agreement on Wednesday, October 25, during the 73rd session of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, Kazinform News Agency reports via the Kazakh Ministry of Healthcare.

"Under the agreement signed today with the WHO Regional Office for Europe, the World Health Organization will allocate 1.8 million US dollars to Kazakhstan for the development of its healthcare sector. These funds will be spent on provision of expert, methodological and technical support to improve medical staff’s potential, protection of health of mothers, newborns,children and teenagers, fight with cancer and other non-infectious diseases, HIV, AIDS, tuberculosis, medical personnel training, communication with the population and other areas,” Minister of Healthcare of Kazakhstan Azhar Giniyat said a briefing.

She pointed out the importance of the Global Primary Healthcare Conference and the 73rd session of the WHO Committee for Europe, which brought together healthcare ministers, WHO experts, professionals from more than 80 member-countries of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, as well as the representatives of partner organizations and civil society.

Dr Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, highly praised the level of digitalization in healthcare of Kazakhstan, which helps address personnal shortage problems in the sector. He also commended the inclusion of psychologists to the country's primary healthcare system.