Kazakhstan is scaling up its system of care for people with mental disorders. For children with autism, 189 daycare units will open on the basis of district hospitals, and 81 mental health centers will also appear. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
The work will be carried out under the Comprehensive Plan for the Protection of Mental Health of the Population for 2027–2031.
As Aliya Rustemova, head of the National Center for Mental Health, said at a meeting at the Ministry of Health, Kazakhstan currently has 20 mental health centers, 101 primary centers and 212 specialized offices. However, there is a need to open 81 primary centers in 12 regions.
«Mental health issues are coming to the fore today. Our task is to ensure the availability of specialized care in all regions, regardless of the patient's place of residence,» emphasized Minister of Health Akmaral Alnazarova.
She emphasized that 189 daycare units for children with autism will open on the basis of mental health centers and district hospitals. There, children will be able to undergo rehabilitation without the need to stay in the hospital around the clock.
The minister also instructed to resolve the issue of the shortage of specialists in the field of mental health. To this end, they plan to expand the training of medical personnel, including through grants from akimats, and to consider additional measures of social support for doctors.
Earlier, «Kursiv» wrote that the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection will change approaches to working with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Specialists will find an individual approach to each child with autism.
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