Kazakhstan has ranked first in Central Asia for newborn mortality, with three cases per 1,000 live births, the website infohub.kz reports, citing the republic's Ministry of Health.
The ministry's press service said the country had not only become the regional leader on this measure but had also met the relevant United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on reducing child mortality ahead of schedule.
To further expand access to medical care, 16 new children's hospitals and perinatal centers are planned for construction.
"The decline in newborn mortality is the result of consistent development of perinatal care, the introduction of modern technologies and improvements to the system of medical support for mothers and children. Today, survival among newborns with extremely low birth weight stands at 57%. Further work is aimed at raising this figure, developing specialized care and strengthening the material and technical base of medical organizations," the Ministry of Health said.
The ministry places particular emphasis on the early detection of congenital diseases and on medical support during pregnancy. Under the Analar Saulygy program, one-day clinics have opened at 22 fetal protection centers, and modern diagnostic and intrauterine treatment methods have been introduced.
Thanks to these measures, the detection of congenital developmental defects has risen by 12%, while infant mortality linked to these causes has fallen by 15%.
"The further development of the maternal and child health service will focus on improving the quality of medical care, the early identification of risks and ensuring access to modern diagnostic and treatment methods in all regions of Kazakhstan," the ministry said.