Kazakhstan classifies antibiotic resistance as national security concern

Kazakhstan’s health authorities have described antimicrobial resistance as a threat to national security and said they will tighten controls over the sale and use of antibiotics, according to officials cited by Orda.kz.

The Ministry of Health said it plans to strengthen regulation of antibiotic dispensing and introduce additional measures to curb the growing spread of drug-resistant infections, which it attributed in part to widespread self-medication and illegal over-the-counter sales, including via online platforms.

Officials warned that misuse of antibiotics is accelerating antimicrobial resistance, which already causes an estimated 700,000 deaths globally each year. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has projected that deaths linked to resistant infections could rise to 40 million annually by 2050 if current trends continue.

Erik Baizhunusov, chair of Kazakhstan’s National Centre for Public Health, said antimicrobial resistance had moved beyond a purely medical issue.

“Antimicrobial resistance is becoming a matter of national security in the healthcare sector,” he said.

According to the National Centre for Public Health, Kazakhstan is not meeting WHO-recommended standards for antibiotic consumption patterns. The share of “Access” antibiotics, which are considered first-line treatments for common infections, stands at 38.3%, well below the recommended minimum of 70%. Meanwhile, usage of “Watch” antibiotics—drugs with a higher risk of driving resistance—remains elevated.

The Ministry of Health said it will expand enforcement against non-prescription sales, enhance pharmaceutical tracking and prioritise the registration of lower-risk medicines.

By Aghakazim Guliyev