PRESS RELEASE

Almaty leads regional dialogue to end TB

Almaty, Kazakhstan, 2–3 October 2025. Almaty hosted the Regional Parliamentary Summit on Tuberculosis in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) alongside the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Central Asia free from TB: from national achievements to regional leadership.”

The event was convened by the Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan, the Global TB Caucus and the National Scientific Centre of Phthisiopulmonology of Kazakhstan, with support from the Global Fund for the TB response in Kazakhstan and the Kazakhstan Association of Phthisiopulmonologists.

The Summit gathered parliamentarians from across the EECA region, ministers of health, leaders of national TB responses, experts, representatives of the World Health Organization, the Stop TB Partnership and other international partners.

Despite advances in science, TB continues to cause illness and loss of life across the region. New commitments made at the Summit aim to reverse these trends and bring EECA closer to the global goal of ending TB by 2030, as set out in the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the WHO End TB Strategy.

Timur Sultangaziyev, Deputy Minister of Healthcare of Kazakhstan, said:

“Kazakhstan is committed to building stronger health systems and sustaining progress against TB. We are working to ensure that every person has access to the services they need, from rapid diagnosis to quality treatment and social protection. Regional cooperation is vital if we are to reach the goal of ending TB by 2030.”

Daniya Espayeva, Representative Deputy of the Mazhilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan, added:

“Parliamentarians have a responsibility to secure financing and create laws that protect health. Through our work in parliament, we can strengthen systems, hold governments accountable and ensure that people affected by TB are not left behind. This Summit is a chance to unite our political will to deliver lasting change.”

Guldara Nurym, Deputy Chair of the Global TB Caucus and Co-Chair of the EECA TB Caucus, said:

“Political will is the most powerful tool in our response to TB. As parliamentarians, we pledge to ensure accountability, secure sustainable financing and guarantee that every person in our region has access to timely diagnosis and quality care. Ending TB is our duty to our citizens and a legacy we must deliver by 2030.”

The Summit provided a platform to:

• Review progress on the 2023 UN High-Level Political Declaration on TB

• Assess TB-related health challenges in Central Asia

• Highlight the role of parliamentarians in securing sustainable financing and legislative action

• Share innovations in science, digital technology, financing and community engagement

Participants called for stronger investment in early diagnosis, equitable access to innovation, and new vaccines and treatments. The agenda also addressed social protection for people affected by TB, national budget planning in light of reduced external funding, and cooperation on related health risks such as HIV and tobacco use.

At the close of the Summit, parliamentarians, leaders of national TB responses and civil society representatives from across Central Asia adopted a regional resolution to accelerate progress on TB between 2026 and 2028.

Facts and Figures (Ministry of Health, Kazakhstan):

• In 2024, new TB diagnoses decreased by 4 percent, overall TB levels fell by 5.1 percent and deaths declined by 16.6 percent

• In 2024, no children died from TB

• Sustainable Development Goal indicators for TB set for 2025, including reductions in TB levels and deaths, were achieved ahead of schedule

• 99 percent of people diagnosed with TB received rapid molecular testing

• More than 87 percent of people diagnosed with TB had bacteriological confirmation, above the WHO European Region average

• By the end of 2024, 99 percent of people receiving TB treatment in outpatient settings received social support totalling 2.4 billion tenge

• TB diagnosis, treatment and prevention in Kazakhstan meet international standards