Cancer kills more than 16,000 each year - Deputy PM

Every year cancer claims lives of more than 16 thousand Kazakhstan citizens, this has been announced today in Astana at the international oncology symposium by Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Gulshara Abdykalikova.

"Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Kazakhstan. Every year more than 16 thousand people die from this insidious disease," she said. 

Deputy Prime Minister noted that the area in front of the country's health costs the main task - increasing expectancy and quality of life in Kazakhstan by reducing mortality, including from cancer. 

"To fight cancer diseases on behalf of the Head of State Nursultan Nazarbayev in Kazakhstan's capital has being established a National Scientific Cancer Center on the basis of the National Medical Holding. The center should become one of the leading international institutions in the field of oncology. The center will attract the best foreign specialists, implement evidence-based prevention methods of treatment, as well as cutting-edge research in oncology," said Deputy Prime Minister G.Abdykalikova. 

She noted that "Salamatty Kazakhstan" program plans to train 250 specialists including oncologists, medical physicists, radiologists, engineers and others. 

According to the press release, cancer claims lives of more than 16,000 Kazakhstan citizens including 42% of people of working age.