ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF REFORMS IN THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN: CURRENT STATE AND PROSPECTS

The purpose of this study is to conduct a comprehensive economic assessment of healthcare system reforms in the Republic of Kazakhstan, analyzing their current state and identifying development prospects. The research methodology employed systematic analysis, statistical data processing, comparative assessment, and theoretical generalization methods. The study examined statistical indicators, policy documents, and expert assessments covering the period of active healthcare reforms implementation. Key findings demonstrate that the introduction of compulsory social health insurance increased healthcare financing by 32%, while population coverage reached 84.7%. Healthcare digitalization achieved 97% integration of medical organizations into a unified information system, with 92% of citizens having electronic health records. Telemedicine consultations increased 18-fold during the pandemic period. Primary healthcare development resulted in a 28% increase in family doctor consultations and 89% coverage of preventive examinations. Life expectancy increased to 73.6 years, infant mortality decreased to 7.2 per 1,000 live births, and early-stage cancer detection improved from 52.3% to 68.7%. However, healthcare expenditure remains at 3.9% of GDP, below WHO recommendations, with persistent regional disparities in medical service availability (2.7-fold difference in doctor availability between regions). The scientific novelty lies in the comprehensive quantitative assessment of all reform directions simultaneously, identification of specific regional imbalances, and development of an integrated evaluation framework for healthcare transformation effectiveness in Kazakhstan's context.