Kazakhstan is preparing to launch the country’s first state-owned facility for the production of individual orthoses, a project expected to bring the rehabilitation system for people with disabilities to a new level. The prospects for implementing the initiative were assessed by Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan Askarkbek Yertayev during a working visit to Almaty, where he visited the National Scientific Center for the Development of Social Protection.
The Center’s Director General Syrym Nasi presented the minister with a project to establish the country’s first state laboratory for orthotic modeling and production. The facility is scheduled to open on October 1, 2026.
The laboratory will provide a full production cycle for customized orthoses using modern digital technologies. Currently, such products are mainly manufactured by private companies, and their high cost limits access for many people who need them. The creation of a state laboratory will allow citizens to receive high-tech orthoses funded by the government and will also contribute to preventing disability at early stages.
By the end of 2026, the facility plans to produce 500 individual orthoses, followed by 1,000 units in 2027 and 1,500 units in 2028. As a result, approximately 3,000 people in need of such assistance will receive modern orthotic devices over three years.
“The National Scientific Center should become a leading scientific and practical platform for introducing modern rehabilitation technologies. It is important to ensure the timely launch of the orthotic modeling and production laboratory, continue the digitalization of rehabilitation processes, and further develop the system of auditory and speech rehabilitation for children after cochlear implantation,” Askarkbek Yertayev emphasized.
During the visit, the minister also reviewed the work of the auditory and speech rehabilitation department, where children who have undergone cochlear implantation receive support to relearn how to hear, speak, and successfully adapt to social life.
In addition, the minister was presented with the results of the Center’s work in developing prosthetic and orthopedic care. As part of the state program, the Center annually produces around 250 high-tech medical devices and develops up to seven new technological processes.
The working visit concluded with a meeting between Askarkbek Yertayev and the Center’s staff. Participants discussed the implementation of state assignments, the development of the institution’s scientific potential, and priority areas for further improving Kazakhstan’s social protection system.