In the first seven months of 2026, Kazakhstan recorded only two cases of food poisoning in educational institutions, compared to eight in the same period last year. According to the Ministry of Health, the number of affected children decreased from 118 to 13. The ministry attributes the improvement to stronger state control and new requirements for school meals, reports infohub.kz.
Following a high-profile mass poisoning of schoolchildren in the Mangystau region, authorities implemented several key measures. These include a special inspection procedure that allows sanitary and epidemiological services to quickly identify violations.
In addition, a new nutrition standard was introduced, developed with principles of a healthy and balanced diet. It came into effect on September 1 of last year. Control over food products, their transportation, storage, and preparation in school canteens was also tightened.
“The measures taken have led to a fourfold reduction in the number of registered food poisoning cases linked to educational facilities in the first seven months of 2026,” the Ministry of Health noted.
It is worth recalling that in early July, Kursiv reported a case of food poisoning among minors in the Akmola region. It was reported that four children with symptoms of acute infection were urgently admitted to the regional children's hospital in Kokshetau at night.
Earlier, a mass poisoning occurred at the sports school “Zhaksy No. 2” named after T. Ualiev in the village of Borovoe. Then 18 children who had arrived for competitions from Kostanay and Almaty were poisoned.