8 July 2021, Nur-Sultan - 145,000 medical kits have been sent to Kazakhstan’s regions for distribution among socially disadvantaged and vulnerable groups of people. The kits have been procured and delivered under the joint COVID-19 emergency response project of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Kazakhstan. The project is financed through a US $3 million grant from ADB’s Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund (APDRF), funded by the Government of Japan.

The medical kits, which include thermometers, masks, disinfectants, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, were sent to all regions of Kazakhstan to help prevent the further spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus disease.

“This is an important and necessary project that aims to support the most vulnerable groups of the population. We hope that these first-aid kits will help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 cases,” said Galiya Zhabagina, Deputy Director of the Social Support Policy Development Department of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population of Kazakhstan.

"Since the beginning of the pandemic, UNDP has been providing prompt support to the Government of Kazakhstan to mitigate the crisis impact. Jointly with ADB we are helping to strengthen the resilience of the national health care system to emergencies. This time we are supporting the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection in the procurement of medicines and individual protective gear," said Yakup Beris, UNDP Resident Representative in Kazakhstan.

ADB Country Director for Kazakhstan Nariman Mannapbekov said: "It is clear that no single country or organization can manage the fallout from pandemics on their own. ADB continues to support the Government of Kazakhstan in the fight against the pandemic, working closely with UNDP and other development partners. Through this project, we are supporting the most vulnerable families to help contain the spread of the virus and ensure that Kazakhstan can overcome the pandemic."  

Director of the International Cooperation and Integration Department of the Ministry of Healthcare of Kazakhstan Gulnar Mukhanova expressed gratitude to the partners on behalf of the ministry for providing first-aid kits to low-income families across the country. In her opinion, this initiative will be a good addition to the measures taken by the state to counter the spread of coronavirus infection.

The project is consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular, the Goal 3 that is aimed at ensuring a healthy lifestyle and well-being of the population, and the key principle of "leaving no one behind".