Almaty doctors have achieved zero mother-to-child transmission of HIV in the past year and a half.

July 9, 2026

In Almaty, not a single case of mother-to-child transmission of HIV has been recorded in the past year and a half. This result was made possible by a comprehensive system of prevention, early diagnosis, and timely treatment, all available through state guarantees of free medical care.

The new Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan ensures the protection of motherhood, childhood, and the institution of the family. The country continues to develop programs for maternal and child health, disease prevention, early diagnosis, and medical support for children, including HIV infection.

"Access to medical care remains an absolute priority of state policy. HIV prevention, diagnosis, and treatment are included in the guaranteed free medical care. Particular attention is paid to expectant mothers. In the country, every pregnant woman undergoes two routine HIV tests. This allows for early detection of the infection and prompt initiation of treatment," noted Marat Tukeyev, Director of the Almaty AIDS Prevention and Control Center.

Once a diagnosis is confirmed, a woman is prescribed modern, individually tailored antiretroviral therapy free of charge. Thanks to timely treatment, the risk of mother-to-child HIV transmission has been reduced to 0-2%.
Caring for a child's health begins in the first minutes of life. Newborns are immediately prescribed preventive treatment, after which they are monitored by specialists at the AIDS Center until they reach one and a half to two years of age. During the first year of life, families also receive free infant formula through primary health care organizations.
During this period, the child is tested for HIV several times. If all test results remain negative by 18 months, the child is removed from the dispensary register. This means the child is healthy.

Each such story confirms the effectiveness of modern methods of HIV prevention and treatment. Thanks to timely diagnosis, access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), and responsible adherence to medical recommendations, women living with HIV give birth to healthy children.
Today, all pregnant women with HIV are provided with free ART. Treatment reduces the viral load to undetectable levels and virtually eliminates the risk of transmitting the infection to the child.
Prevention programs and testing in Almaty cover 100% of pregnant women and newborns. Furthermore, since 2020, mandatory HIV testing of sexual partners of pregnant women has been implemented in Almaty. This measure allows for the timely identification of potential risks and further protects the health of the mother and unborn child.

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