17 May 2010

ASTANA, KAZAKHSTAN – UNICON shortlisted for European Commission (EC) funded project on Support to Capacity Development of the Ministry of Health to implement the State Programmes on Health Care Reform and Development.

Kazakhstan territory is the 9th largest one in the world – 2,724,900 sq km with a low density of population of 5.6 citizens per sq. km. The last 2009 population census stated the population of Kazakhstan at a total of 16,402,861 people, of which the rural population makes up 42% of the total.

The economy of Kazakhstan is the largest economy in Central Asia. It possesses enormous fossil fuel reserves as well as minerals and metals and it also has considerable agricultural potential.

Kazakhstan became independent in 1991and is since then a Presidential Republic. Each Oblast is headed by an Akim (Oblast governor) appointed by the president. Kazakhstan until date has a decentralised health system. Heads of Oblast Health departments are appointed by Akims in recently introduced alignment with the Ministry of Health (MoH).

The project intends to support the Ministry of Health in defining a methodology to develop future State Health Programmes and will advice the Ministry and specific Oblast Health authorities to be confirmed by the beneficiary on monitoring and evaluating the progress of implementing the State Health Programmes, Regional Health Policies and strategic plans for 2011-2015.