Kazakhstan strengthens health safety and security with new EU-supported Poisons Information Centre in Astana

Large-scale epidemics are becoming more and more frequent and constitute a health, economic, social and security threat. To strengthen the response and preparedness for epidemics and other diseases, it is of paramount importance that health services have cutting-edge technologies, facilities and trained personnel to ensure early detection, management and control of outbreaks.

‘KazToxBase’: a new center to support healthcare 

As part of its mission to advance CBRN risk mitigation and strengthen security and safety worldwide, the European Union has supported the opening of a Poisons Information Center in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Named ‘KazToxBase’, the Poisons Information Center has been inaugurated, on 6 June 2024, at the Center for Sanitary and Epidemiological Expertise of the Medical Center, under the Administration of the President of Kazakhstan. 

The establishment of this new center is expected to significantly reduce the burden on hospitals by improving the management of chemical poisoning cases and providing critical support and training to healthcare professionals.

Ms. Saul Sharipova, Director of the Center for Sanitary and Epidemiological Expertise, stated that the new center will operate based on TOXBASE, the clinical toxicology database of the UK National Poisons Information Service. 

"The center will provide consultative assistance to patients and medical professionals on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chemical poisonings, following the recommendations of the World Health Organization. It will also enhance the qualifications of medical workers in Kazakhstan by training them in best international practices," said Ms. Sharipova.

The opening ceremony featured representatives from the ISTC Governing Board. The ribbon was cut by Ms. Lyudmila Burbekova, Medical Center under the Administration of the President of Kazakhstan, and Ms. Maria Rosa Sabatelli, European Commission's Foreign Policy Instruments Service.

Strengthening preparedness and response for mass gatherings and health threats in Central Asia

The European Union supported the opening of the Poisons Information Center – ‘KazToxBase’ in Kazakhstan as part of the EU CBRN CoE Project 87 “Preparedness and Response for Mass Gatherings and Other Health Threats in Central Asia (PRECA)”.

Implemented within the framework of the EU CBRN Centres of Excellence, PRECA is a regional initiative aimed at strengthening response and preparedness for potential health threats stemming from mass gatherings in partner countries in Central Asia. The participating countries include Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The project has been underway for more than three years and formed a network of experts in Food Safety, Water Safety, Chemical Safety and Public Health Command Control and Communications (C3).

Funded by the European Union, the project is implemented by the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) in close cooperation with national experts from Partner Countries, CoE National Focal Points in Central Asia, UNICRI, the CoE Regional Secretariat and the EU Delegations in the participating countries.

Read PRECA factsheet to learn more about the activities implemented and the main achievements.