ASTANA.  February 18. KAZINFORM  /Gulnara Zhandagulova/ Kazakhstan to implement compulsory health insurance for foreigners, Vice Minister of Healthcare Yelzhan Birtanov announced it at a sitting of the Astana Healthcare Administration today.

"At present we are considering the issue of implementation of compulsory health care insurance for the foreigners entering the country. It means a person must get his health insurance card in order to receive emergency medical aid. Certainly, this is quite a serious issue", he noted.

As Birtanov added, this item was included in the bill on migration which is under consideration in the Parliament at present.

To date Kazakhstan has concluded intergovernmental agreements with Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan on provision of free emergency aid.

In accordance with the Code of Health the foreigners have rights for treatment of particularly dangerous diseases including emergency care. As for such diseases as tuberculosis or other heavy ones the foreigners have to pay for their treatment.