European Union

ASTANA, 25 May 2010 – Tomorrow, on 26 May, the Healthcare Forum organized within the framework of the European Union's Central Asia Invest programme of the project 'Establishment of sustainable partner relations in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan: strengthening the role of intermediary healthcare organizations from Central Asia' will take place at the Rixos hotel. The organizer of the forum is the German Association of high technologies SPECTARIS in association with the project partners, such as the Association of Manufacturers of Pharmaceutical and Medical Goods of Kazakhstan, the Association of Pharmaceutical and Production Manufacturers of Kazakhstan, the Forum of Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan, the Representation of the German economy in Central Asia, the Chamber of industry and trade of the Tashkent oblast of Uzbekistan, the Bishkek Business Club, the German Association of Consulting Enterprises in the Healthcare Industry, the Spanish Federation of Healthcare Technology Companies (FENIN) and the Ministry of health of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The project is financed by the European Union to the amount of 320 000 Euros.

The forum will be opened by the Minister of health of the Republic of Kazakhstan Mr Zhaksylyk Doskaliev, the Head of Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Kazakhstan Mr Norbert Jousten and the Deputy Minister of health of the Federative Republic of Germany Mr Stefan Kapferer. Apart from public officials of Central Asian countries and Germany, the forum is expected to be attended by representatives of professional medical associations, businesses, medical institutions, higher education establishments and researchers from both Kazakhstan and Germany.

The reports will be delivered by Mr Almaz Sharman, vice-president of the New University of Astana, Mr Syzdyk Baimukanov, chairman of the Committee for pharmaceutical control under the Ministry of health of Kazakhstan, Mr Ulrich Krauss, president of board of the Carl Zeiss Meditec company, Mr Peter Laser, head of international business development department of the Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KG company.

The purpose of the forum is to encourage dialogue between professional associations and the Government of Kazakhstan, to strengthen cooperation between the European Union, Kazakhstan and the Central Asian region as a whole. The forum's agenda includes:

• exchanging experience in finding healthcare solutions;
• discussing introduction and use of advanced medical equipment;
• solving problems in connection with purchases of medical equipment produced in the EU Member States;
• addressing the lack of specialists for maintenance of high-tech medical equipment and the constant need of training, etc.

The forum will provide a platform for discussions under the topic 'Lack of professionals working with import equipment in the healthcare sector in Central Asia: the current situation and possible solutions'. The discussions will be shared between the reporters and representatives of the following Kazakhstani companies: Mediland LLP – Igor Ponamarenko, MedConcept Ltd – Regina Subbotina, Medicus Eurasia Ltd – Kairat Seissenov, National Centre of diagnostics JSC – Zhabaev Shyngys as well as the guests from the Freiburg University Clinic, prof. Dr. Kern from the professional higher educational institution of Tuttlingen, prof. Dr. Bodeker.

During the forum the German delegates will visit the medical institutions of Astana: the 'Centre of motherhood and childhood', the 'Centre of diagnostics' and the 'Neurosurgical Centre' furnished with the state-of-the-art equipment and supervised by the National Medical Holding.

The Central Asia Invest programme is the European Union's regional programme aimed at promoting sustainable economic development of Central Asian republics (Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) by way of developing small and medium businesses. As of now, the Second Phase of the Central Asia Invest programme has been launched, and 22 projects selected. The budget of this Second Phase for the region of Central Asia amounts to 4 million Euros.

Media are invited to cover the Forum due on 26 May 2010 at 09.00 at the Rixos hotel (Astana, 7 Kunaev street).

For more information on the project, please see www.cai-healthcare.com. In order to register the participants or ask questions, please write to: dilorenzo@spectaris.de.