Kazakhstan’s Health Professionals Enhance the Effectiveness of HIV Treatment

December 1, 2025

Today, over 93% of people living with HIV in Kazakhstan who are receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) have achieved viral suppression. This is one of the key outcomes of the joint efforts of governmental, international, and civil society organizations, summarized on the eve of 1 December – World AIDS Day – as part of the UNAIDS global campaign “From Challenges to Change: Transforming the HIV Response.”

Kazakhstan is implementing the UNAIDS 95–95–95 targets, which aim to ensure access to HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and care. Currently, 85% of people living with HIV know their status; among them, 92% are receiving ART, and 93% have suppressed viral loads.

The country adheres to the principle “U=U” – Undetectable = Untransmittable. According to this principle, a person living with HIV who takes antiretroviral therapy and maintains a suppressed viral load cannot transmit HIV to their sexual partner — a concept fully confirmed by international scientific research.

“In 2025, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan approved the Standard for the Organization of Medical Care for People Living with HIV. This document is designed to improve the quality, accessibility, and continuity of health services for people living with HIV, as well as to strengthen prevention efforts. Kazakhstan has implemented all 12 prevention programme areas recommended by WHO. A key innovation is the introduction of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which is now used by more than **13,000 people,” said Roza Kuanyshbekova, Director of the Kazakh Scientific Center of Dermatology and Infectious Diseases of the Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan.

Access to antiretroviral therapy has become increasingly equitable — treatment is initiated immediately after diagnosis and provided free of charge. Ninety percent of patients receive ART regimens containing dolutegravir, recommended by WHO as a first-line antiretroviral medicine. Dolutegravir ensures rapid and sustained viral suppression, while its convenient once-daily dosing improves treatment adherence.

One of the optimistic projections for the near future is the planned introduction of long-acting injectable lenacapavir into national HIV programmes in 2026 to expand access for people living with HIV. WHO has described lenacapavir as “the closest option to a vaccine”, as just two injections per year can provide high efficacy and significantly reduce new infections, serving both as treatment and HIV prevention.

Over the past seven years, Kazakhstan has seen a steady decline in critical indicators — including AIDS-related mortality, the HIV incidence rate per 100,000 population, and two major transmission routes: parenteral (through blood and injecting drug use) and vertical transmission (from mother to child).

As a result of sustained prevention and control efforts, Kazakhstan remains at a concentrated stage of the HIV epidemic, with a prevalence rate of 0.3% among people aged 15–49, compared to the global average of 0.7%.

On 2 December, Almaty will host the international scientific and practical conference “HIV: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow,” where participants will discuss achievements, challenges, and innovations in HIV prevention and treatment.

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