E Kazakhstan governor holds meets with chief physicians of the region

UST-KAMENOGORSK. KAZINFORM At a meeting with chief physicians of the region's hospitals, akim Daniyal Akhmetov emphasized the need for changes in the healthcare system, Kazinform correspondent reports with reference to the press service of the regional administration.

It was noted that on some criteria East Kazakhstan lags behind the national average. And even though hospitals tend to blame the lack of equipment for that, the reason is often their poor management.

According to Mr. Akhmetov, Chiefs need to undergo the same training regular physicians do. Otherwise, said akim, hospitals may find themselves in a situation when staff is more qualified than their chiefs.

This year the region allocated more than 1.2 billion tenge for doctors' training in world's top clinics. Under the akim's order, a healthcare development program is being designed. In the near future, the region will allocate another six billion for the purchase of equipment for hospitals.

During the meeting, akim Akhmetov also stressed the need for the region's mother and child centers to reconsider their approaches to work. According to him, these institutions should not operate as only maternity hospitals, as their main task is to provide not only high quality medical but also permanent training of medical specialists.