Kazakh and Swedish healthcare experts and regulating authorities discussed healthcare system management during a bilateral knowledge-sharing roundtable on April 28 in Astana, reported British-Swedish biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.
The participants exchanged experience and knowledge in key areas of healthcare organizations. Both countries face similar challenges in balancing healthcare needs with the growing costs and complexity of innovative treatment options and working on solutions to address the unmet needs of patients using innovative medical technologies.
The organizers plan to host such events annually to facilitate commercial engagement and showcase both countries’ potential to investors from both countries.
“Sweden is already involved in medical and digital healthcare projects in Kazakhstan. With the signing of a memorandum between Kazakh Мinistry of Healthcare and AstraZeneca on long-term cooperation in pharmaceuticals and healthcare in February this year, Swedish business will also become an investor in the all-important local pharmaceutical industry,” reads the press statement.
The Swedish side invited their Kazakh counterparts for a week-long program on digital healthcare and rural healthcare hosted by the World Health Organization and the Swedish government.
According to the Ambassador of Sweden in Kazakhstan Ewa Ulrika Polano, bilateral diplomatic relations, which have been developing for over 30 years, reflect strong friendship ties and cooperation in many areas.
“I am extra proud to inform that during the last year, we have seen a strong development in the bilateral exchange with Kazakhstan in healthcare. Today’s knowledge-sharing seminar on the future of healthcare is an excellent example. The projects and program we are now initiating will culminate in an essential visit to Sweden by the Kazakh Minister of Healthcare Azhar Giniyat,” she said.
According to General Manager at AstraZeneca Kazakhstan Alexander Tarishkin, AstraZeneca is a great example of Kazakh-Swedish cooperation in health issues, seeking to improve access to innovative methods of diagnostics and treatment for patients in both countries.
“Localization projects in Kazakhstan, the introduction of modern diagnostic and therapeutic methods into clinical practice, and digitalization of healthcare are priority tasks for us in this context,” he said