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Tengrinews.kz – Patient groups in Kazakhstan were unable to convince the Health Ministry to keep diabetes on the list of socially significant diseases, despite launching a public petition.
Earlier this summer, the ministry announced that diabetes would be moved from the guaranteed package of free medical care to mandatory social health insurance (MSHI). This means that only insured patients will be able to see doctors or access free medication. Previously, such restrictions did not apply.
The decision sparked protests among patients, who shared videos on social media urging officials to reverse the change. At a press conference, patient organizations warned of risks to medicine access and called for a national diabetes program.
Health officials, however, insisted the reform would not reduce but expand care.
“Today, 96 percent of diabetes patients are already insured. For children, pensioners, pregnant women, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, the state pays contributions,” Deputy Health Minister Yerzhan Nurlybayev said.
Ruslan Zakiev, director of the public foundation Diabetes Parents Committee, said attempts at dialogue with the ministry over the past six weeks failed.
“We thought officials understood that dialogue is more effective than confrontation. Unfortunately, we were mistaken. All our efforts have led nowhere,” he said.
According to Zakiev, the ministry has already amended the health code to exclude diabetes from the official list of socially significant diseases, making the previous version invalid.
“We recognize the state’s right to reform, but not at the cost of citizens’ lives and health. People with diabetes already face discrimination, barriers to education, employment, disability support and medical care. These changes only make the situation worse,” the petition reads.
Patient groups stress that the issue is not only about free medicines but about the right to life, which should not depend on insurance status or bureaucratic categories.
Official data shows 535,033 registered diabetes patients in Kazakhstan in 2025. Of them, 504,456 have type 2 diabetes and 30,577 have type 1, including 5,625 children. Patients with type 1 diabetes require daily insulin, raising fears that uninsured individuals could be left without essential treatment.
“Five percent may not sound like much, but that’s 1,600 people. Does their life not matter?” Zakiev asked.
While type 2 diabetes is considered manageable through lifestyle changes, specialists warn that in Kazakhstan it is often diagnosed late, with serious complications that require medication. Patient advocates say denying access to treatment could worsen outcomes and increase long-term health costs.
