Billions in Pharma, but Still Dependent on Imports: How Long Will Kazakhstan Keep Buying Medicines From Abroad?

The share of domestically produced medicines in Kazakhstan remains low — about 15% — despite growth in production and state support for the industry, Orda.kz reports.

According to the Health Ministry’s response to Orda.kz, the share of Kazakhstani-made medicines stood at 15.1% in 2024. At the same time, the total volume of pharmaceutical production in the country continues to grow. By the end of 2025, it had increased by 8.2% to 191.1 billion tenge, up from 175.8 billion tenge a year earlier.

Despite this, the market remains import-oriented. In 2025, the most in-demand drug was the anti-cancer medicine Keytruda, produced in Ireland.

The Health Ministry acknowledges that the development of domestic pharmaceuticals is being held back by dependence on imported raw materials and active substances, as well as strong competition from international companies. At the same time, officials say the industry has the potential to reduce import dependence. Among the priorities are production localization, technology transfer, and the use of Kazakhstani raw materials and personnel.

At the same time, the share of domestic medicines in procurement through the Single Distributor is gradually increasing. If in 2010 it stood at 15%, or 4.8 billion tenge, then by 2025 it had risen to 32%, or 137.5 billion tenge. Of that volume, 77% of purchases came under long-term contracts with Kazakhstani manufacturers.

To support the industry, a new mechanism has been introduced in the form of investment agreements. As of now, six such projects have been signed with companies including Nobel Almaty Pharmaceutical Factory and Khimpharm. The total volume of investment amounts to 316.3 billion tenge. The projects provide for the production of about 400 types of medicines and the creation of more than 1,100 jobs.

Original author: Elvira Ivannikova

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