The publication “How are insulin pumps changing the country’s economy and the quality of life of diabetics?” was prepared by Marat Mamaev with the support of the IWPR Representative Office in Central Asia and the regional analytical platform CABAR.asia.
For citation and references to the material, please indicate: Marat Mamaev, How are insulin pumps changing the country’s economy and the quality of life of diabetics?, 2025, CABAR.asia.
The publication notes that including insulin pumps for adults and pregnant women with type 1 diabetes in the list of free and subsidized services is a strategic decision capable of transforming Kazakhstan’s healthcare system. Currently, state support is limited to children, while thousands of adults and women with high-risk pregnancies are forced to either independently purchase expensive equipment or return to outdated and less effective injection regimens.
This directly leads to worsening glycemic control, an increase in complications, disability, and a growing burden on the system. International experience—from the US and EU countries to Russia—demonstrates that pumps are included in state insurance, provided even when target HbA1c levels are not met, and enable systemic reductions in treatment costs. Kazakhstan risks lagging behind this trend. Estimates show that providing 1,000 patients with this equipment will require approximately 700 million to 1 billion tenge per year, but will save billions on dialysis, amputations, and other serious complications. The author believes that today’s decision to support the introduction of insulin pumps will reduce mortality tomorrow, improve quality of life, and strengthen trust in the healthcare system. Widespread adoption of insulin pumps will improve the effectiveness of type 1 diabetes treatment, reduce the burden on hospitals, save the state money in the long term, and, most importantly, preserve the health and lives of citizens. The publication contains specific recommendations for parliament, relevant agencies, and civil society institutions on how to expedite the transition to insulin pump therapy.
‘This publication was funded by the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of IWPR and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.