Kazakhstan to lead regional hub for childhood cancer treatment

New regional center will focus on pediatric oncology, with Kazakhstan offering advanced diagnostics and therapy for Central Asia

ASTANA, Kazakhstan (MNTV) — Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have agreed to establish a regional academic hub focused on diagnosing and treating childhood cancers, aiming to strengthen cross-border cooperation in healthcare and improve pediatric oncology across Central Asia.

According to Kursiv Media, the initiative was announced during a regional conference on child health held earlier this week in Tashkent. Kazakhstan’s Minister of Healthcare, Akmaral Alnazarova, met with her Uzbek counterpart to discuss joint projects, knowledge exchange, and ways to enhance treatment quality. The discussions also covered the long-term health impacts of environmental degradation in areas surrounding the Aral Sea.

Kazakhstan proposed hosting the hub, positioning it as an international platform to serve children from across the region. 

Alnazarova highlighted Kazakhstan’s medical capacity, citing the upcoming launch of a state-of-the-art Proton Center in Astana this October. The center is expected to treat up to 800 patients annually and will provide specialized therapies including radioactive iodine treatment for children.

The initiative is part of Kazakhstan’s broader effort to expand regional medical services. Plans are underway to establish additional centers for adult oncology, oncohematology, and pediatric heart surgery. 

The latter will serve children from Uzbekistan’s Karakalpakstan region, which continues to face health challenges linked to environmental degradation.

The two countries also agreed to deepen bilateral healthcare ties by organizing “Healthcare Days” in each other’s territories—Kazakhstan in Uzbekistan later this year, and Uzbekistan in Kazakhstan in 2026.

In a separate healthcare development, Kazakhstan’s Zhambyl region recently introduced rapid histological diagnostics, enabling doctors to determine tumor malignancy within 15 to 20 minutes—marking a significant improvement in early cancer detection.

The new childhood cancer hub is expected to serve as a cornerstone for broader medical cooperation in Central Asia, with a focus on early diagnosis, cross-border treatment access, and building medical expertise in the region.