On January 8, Minister of Health Kanibek Dosmambetov held a meeting with members of the task force dedicated to the current situation with viral infections, discussing the load on hospitals and the work of the primary care sector in the context of seasonal increases in morbidity.
According to the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance Department, at the end of 2025, there were 15,043 cases of ARVI and influenza registered, while the first week of 2026 brought 9,490 cases; from January 5 to 8, 2026, there were 6,745 new cases recorded.
According to information from the heads of children's hospitals and health coordinators, the number of hospital admissions remains within the long-term norms. However, part of the load arises from direct admissions to hospitals without prior consultation in the primary care sector, despite the organization of duty shifts and the operation of Family Medicine Centers on weekends. The minister instructed to optimize the sorting and routing of patients in the FMC for a more even distribution of flows between levels of medical care.
Kanibek Dosmambetov also emphasized the importance of active sanitary-educational work and cooperation with the media to clarify referral routes and preventive measures to combat seasonal infections.
“The epidemic situation in the country is stable, but it requires coordinated actions at all levels. It is important to improve sorting and routing in the primary care sector, continue preventive measures, and actively inform the population through mass media to reduce the number of unjustified hospital admissions and strengthen the healthcare system as a whole,” the minister noted.
