Cancer patients in Kazakhstan face months-long waits for PET/CT scans despite free treatment guarantees

September 11, 2026 at 12:42 PM2 min

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A 24-year-old Hodgkin lymphoma patient in Almaty waited months for PET/CT scans and used personal connections to see a specialist at the Kazakh Research Institute of Oncology and Radiology. Kazakhstan guarantees free cancer diagnosis and treatment under its state-funded healthcare package, but patients report shortages of the radioactive tracer needed for PET/CT and queues of one to two months. A paid scan costs about 370,000 tenge where the tracer is available.

Key Facts

A 24-year-old woman with stage 3 Hodgkin lymphoma was diagnosed in February after noticing enlarged lymph nodes in November.
PET/CT scans in Almaty have queues of one to two months due to shortages of the radioactive tracer.
A paid PET/CT scan costs about 370,000 tenge where the tracer is available.
Kazakhstan includes malignant neoplasms in the guaranteed volume of free medical care (GOBMP) for 2026.
The patient used personal connections to get an appointment at the Kazakh Research Institute of Oncology and Radiology on Abay Avenue 91.

Patient Experience

Nadezhda, 24, was diagnosed with stage 3 Hodgkin lymphoma at the Kazakh Research Institute of Oncology and Radiology in Almaty. She first noticed enlarged lymph nodes in November and sought medical help only in February after the winter exam session. An endocrinologist referred her for ultrasound, followed by a surgeon and oncologist, and a biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. She said she 'sat until stage three' because she delayed the examination.

PET/CT Shortages

PET/CT scans in Almaty have long queues, and when Nadezhda needed a repeat scan months later, the situation repeated. She was told the radioactive tracer was unavailable in some places and would arrive only in a month. Patients wait one to two months for repeat scans, and she advised booking two months in advance. A paid PET/CT scan costs about 370,000 tenge where the tracer is available, which many cannot afford.

Free Treatment Guarantee

Kazakhstan officially includes cancer diagnosis and treatment in the guaranteed volume of free medical care (GOBMP). From 2026, malignant neoplasms remain in the list of socially significant diseases financed under GOBMP. A cancer patient should not be left without treatment solely because they lack insured status. The state pays for treatment from the health system and ultimately from public funds. Nadezhda said there were months of appointments and she used connections to avoid waiting for stage four.