Almaty Hosts the First Kazakhstan–Afghanistan Medical Business Forum

An official and business delegation from Afghanistan visited Almaty from 27 October to 2 November 2026. As part of the visit, the First Kazakhstan–Afghanistan Medical Business Forum was held on 30 October to expand cooperation between the two countries in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical technologies and medical tourism.

The event was organised by the Ministry of Healthcare jointly with specialised pharmaceutical and medical associations, The Chamber of International Commerce of Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Kabul, the Trade House in Kabul and the Almaty City Administration.

The forum brought together representatives of government agencies, medical institutions, pharmaceutical enterprises and business communities from both countries. Afghanistan was represented by 26 companies.

Afghanistan’s official delegation was led by Mawlawi Hamdullah Zahid, Deputy Minister of Public Health for Food and Drugs.

The Kazakh delegation was led by Timur Muratov, Vice Minister of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

During the visit, negotiations were held with representatives of Kazakhstan’s government agencies, regulatory bodies and pharmaceutical industry. Particular attention was paid to the registration of medicines, quality control of medical products, expanding supplies of Kazakh medicines and developing direct cooperation between enterprises in the two countries.

The Afghan delegation visited production facilities and learned about the operations of leading pharmaceutical enterprises in Kazakhstan, including Nobel, Zhuldyz Kenan, Abdi Ibrahim Global, Kelun-Kazpharm and MEDSERVICE PLUS.

The negotiations addressed opportunities to expand exports of Kazakh medicines, establish direct supplies, develop distribution networks and implement joint commercial projects.

Special attention was paid to cooperation between state pharmaceutical companies, particularly Kazakhstan’s SK-Pharmacy LLP and Afghanistan’s Ibn Sina, on arranging supplies of medicines. Opportunities for cooperation with other Kazakh pharmaceutical manufacturers are also being explored. Kazakh pharmaceutical companies, including Dolce Pharma, Inkar Pharmacy and others, held substantive talks with Afghan counterparts on practical cooperation.

The Afghan side expressed its readiness to place orders for the contract manufacturing of more than 50 types of medicines in Kazakhstan.

The visit also addressed prospects for cooperation in hospital medicine, including supplies of Kazakh medical equipment, equipping medical institutions in Afghanistan, introducing modern diagnostic and treatment technologies, and supplying Barracuda mobile hospitals. Particular attention was paid to the potential use of Kazakh technological solutions to improve access to healthcare, including in remote regions of Afghanistan. The parties expressed interest in further assessing the needs of Afghan medical institutions and developing specific projects involving Kazakh manufacturers and specialised organisations.

In particular, the parties reviewed the capabilities of Kazakhstan’s EvrazEx LLP, which offers Barracuda QalQan technologies for mobile and field hospitals. These systems are designed for the rapid deployment of medical infrastructure, emergency care, surgical procedures and intensive care, including during emergencies and natural disasters. The solutions provide for independent power supply, heating, air conditioning, water supply and sanitation. Modular infrastructure can be supplied and subsequently fitted with medical equipment according to the needs of the Afghan side.

Medical tourism was another major focus of the forum. The Afghan side expressed interest in referring patients to Kazakhstan for specialised and high-technology medical care, particularly in oncology, oncohaematology, cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, eye microsurgery and medical rehabilitation, as well as complex surgical procedures and other advanced medical interventions.

As part of the visit, talks were organised with representatives of Almaty City Polyclinic No. 3, which participates in the Qazaq Med Travel project, and its partner, the travel company Aq Zhol Tour.

The parties discussed opportunities to establish a practical mechanism for referring Afghan patients to medical institutions in Kazakhstan, including treatment arrangements, patient support, coordination with medical organisations and the development of affordable medical service packages.

Agreements were reached on exchanging experience and training medical personnel.

During the forum, Afghan companies signed memoranda of cooperation with Kazakhstan’s Zhuldyz Kenan and BO-NA LLP.

In addition to the memoranda, a distribution contract was concluded between Kazakhstan’s NPO Kazpharmacom LLP and the Kazakhstan–Afghanistan Innovative Technology Exchange Centre (KAITEC). The contract provides for supplies of veterinary medicines, vaccines and specialised equipment to Afghanistan, with a value of USD 1.05 million per month, or USD 12.6 million annually.

The meetings identified promising areas for further cooperation, including expanding supplies of Kazakh pharmaceutical products, developing partnerships between medical institutions, introducing modern medical technologies and implementing joint medical tourism projects.

The Chamber of International Commerce of Kazakhstan and the Kazakhstan Trade House in Afghanistan will continue to support the implementation of the agreements reached, establish direct contacts between enterprises in the two countries and facilitate specific commercial projects.