Kazakhstan Health Ministry mandates internal infection audits in all medical facilities

September 1, 2026 at 02:39 PM2 min

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Kazakhstan's Health Ministry has drafted an order making internal infection audits mandatory in all medical organizations regardless of ownership. The draft rules are now undergoing approval and state registration. The move follows a 1.41-fold rise in healthcare-associated infections in 2025 compared to 2024.

Key Facts

The draft order 'On approval of the Rules for conducting internal infection audit' is undergoing approval and state registration.
In Kazakhstan, the registration rate of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) rose 1.41-fold in 2025 compared to 2024.
According to WHO, one in ten patients worldwide acquires an infection while receiving medical care, and about 1.4 million people are treated for HAIs at any given time.
The highest number of HAI cases in Kazakhstan is recorded in obstetric organizations, where purulent-septic infections are frequent.
The draft rules were developed taking into account WHO recommendations and aim to improve epidemiological surveillance within medical organizations.

Mandatory Internal Audit

The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan is strengthening work to improve the prevention system for healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and increase patient safety in hospitals and other medical organizations. A draft order 'On approval of the Rules for conducting internal infection audit' has been developed and is currently undergoing approval and state registration procedures. From now on, internal infection audit will become a mandatory element of the infection control system in medical organizations, regardless of ownership form. Its main task is not to combat the consequences of infection, but to prevent risks: timely detection of violations, elimination of their causes, and prevention of recurrent infection cases.

Audit Scope and Procedures

The frequency of audits is determined taking into account the profile of the medical organization, the epidemiological situation, and the results of previous inspections. Unscheduled audits are conducted in the event of additional epidemiological risks. Within the framework of internal infection audit, medical organizations systematically assess compliance with infection safety requirements, including hand hygiene of medical personnel, asepsis and antisepsis rules, quality of disinfection and sterilization of medical devices, use of personal protective equipment, infection prevention in surgery and high-risk departments, safety of medical procedures, medical waste management, and staff training on infection safety. If violations are identified, the HAI prevention commission develops corrective measures with specific deadlines and responsible persons, followed by monitoring of implementation and evaluation of effectiveness.

Antimicrobial Resistance Focus

The draft rules were developed taking into account WHO recommendations and are aimed at improving epidemiological surveillance within medical organizations. Special attention is paid to the prevention of the spread of microorganisms resistant to many drugs. HAIs prolong patients' hospital stays and increase the need for additional antibacterial treatment, repeated medical interventions, and laboratory diagnostics.