Kazakhstan to launch public sanitary ratings for cafés, childcare facilities

Kazakhstan's Ministry of Health is preparing to introduce a public sanitary rating system for businesses, allowing residents to assess the hygiene standards of cafés, canteens, childcare facilities and other establishments before visiting them, the ministry said on July 28.

According to Kazakh media, citing the ministry's press service, the initiative will be integrated into a newly developed digital information system that is already being used to monitor the country's sanitary and epidemiological situation in near real time.

The platform consolidates data on vaccination coverage, the distribution of vaccines and medicines, laboratory testing, cases involving unsafe products, and the sanitary condition of a wide range of facilities.

Officials said the vaccination module currently contains records for 4,616,180 vaccinated people in Kazakhstan. The data enables health authorities to identify areas where routine immunisation coverage is declining and coordinate responses with regional services.

"Full digital traceability of vaccine distribution at every stage reduces the risks of losses and misuse, while improving oversight of public spending," the ministry's press service said.

As part of the next phase of the project, the Health Ministry plans to introduce a sanitary rating for public facilities. Officials said the system is intended to provide residents with objective information when choosing restaurants, childcare organisations and other institutions.

By Aghakazim Guliyev