Global pharmaceutical
manufacturing companies will be localized in Kazakhstan. The country’s
government is currently cooperating with major industry representatives. Thus,
an investment agreement with Pfizer pharmaceutical manufacturing company, which
is set to open medical production in Kazakhstan, is expected to be signed. Additionally,
the country intends to set up another contract enterprise of AstraZeneca
medications with an investment volume of $32 million. A $60 million agreement
was also signed with a large U.S. medical equipment manufacturer. A number of
projects are being developed with the Roche company as well. The investment
amount is $2.5 million. Contract manufacturing projects with investors from
South Korea, Turkey, Egypt and Israel are at various stages of implementation,
as announced by the government during a meeting of the Council for Improving
the Investment Climate. The meeting agenda included the issues of introducing
modern medical technologies, modernizing the healthcare infrastructure, personnel
training and developing the pharmaceutical industry. Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan
Smailov noted the growing interest of investors in the industry. At the end of
last year, investments in fixed assets totaled about $540 million, with an
increase of nearly 30 percent. The volume of the pharmaceutical market has grown
almost threefold over the past seven years. According to Smailov, it is also
planned to build 20 modern multiprofile hospitals in the country with the
attraction of private investment. It is planned to commission 655 primary healthcare
facilities and modernize 32 multiprofile regional clinics.
