The Epidemiological Situation for Especially Dangerous Infections Worsened by 50.5% in Kazakhstan.

Director of National Holding Kazbiopharm JSC, Kunsulu Zakarya, during the right hour in the Senate, voiced problems in ensuring biological safety in Kazakhstan.

The expert notes that in matters of biosafety in the country, there is no interaction and interdepartmental coordination between interested state bodies at the proper level.

“I would like to draw attention to the problem of biological safety in ensuring the monitoring of infectious diseases. Currently, the most relevant sources of biological hazard for Kazakhstan are the presence on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan of natural foci of especially dangerous infections, the threat of biological terrorism, the danger of cross-border importation or importation of especially dangerous infections,”

Zakarya

According to her, in the first 10 months of 2022, the epidemic situation for 13 particularly dangerous infections among the population in the country has worsened by 50.5% compared to the same period last year: 402 cases to 796.

"Including brucellosis – by 38.6%, Congo-Crimean hemorrhagic fever – by 51.3%. Since the beginning of the year, 325 unfavorable points have been registered on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan, including 179 unfavorable points of acute infectious animal diseases, 146 unfavorable points for brucellosis,"

Zakarya

These facts, according to her, indicate that there is a fragmentation and narrow focus of information systems of state bodies in the field of biological safety, the absence of a single integrated information system for monitoring biological risk management.

She also noted that there is no system of multifactorial forecasting, or modelling of biohazards for the development of effective prevention measures. There is also a lack of a proper level of interaction of interdepartmental coordination between interested government agencies.

"There are no appropriate means, response measures, systems of measures to ensure biological safety, which should cover all types of possible biological threats. It is equally important to ensure a high speed of response to biological threats, the availability of adequate maneuvering by forces and means, depending on the scale of the real threat,"

She emphasized that in order to reduce the likelihood of an emergency, it is necessary to strengthen preventive measures including the interaction of all ministries, departments, and services on general operational plans and biosafety programs.

The expert also sees the need for the development and implementation of information forecasting and analytical systems to ensure biological safety and the organization of an automated information system for monitoring and monitoring the biological situation.