Kazakhstan's SK-Pharmacia buys 662.1 bn tenge of medicines for 2027

Kazakhstan's state distributor SK-Pharmacia is procuring medicines and medical devices worth 662.1 billion tenge for 2027, with deliveries to medical facilities starting on January 5. The figures were announced at a meeting of the Public Council (an advisory body) of the Ministry of Health, where officials said drugs would begin arriving at warehouses in December 2026.

The early start gives the distributor more time to conclude contracts and complete deliveries, acting board chairman Nikolai Palinka explained. "It is fundamentally important to us that procurement procedures are transparent, timely and economically sound," he said.

What is the scale of the operation?

SK-Pharmacia supplies more than 2 million patients across 1,875 medical organizations. Its centralized procurement for free medical care and the compulsory social medical insurance system (OSMS) covers over 2,000 drug items.

According to figures presented at the meeting:

• Direct contracts with manufacturers and purchases through United Nations organizations saved the budget more than 195 billion tenge between 2024 and 2026.
• Of that total, 70 billion tenge came from procurement for 2026 alone.
• Kazakhstani producers hold a 35% share of purchases.
• Prices fell on 66 domestically produced drugs.
• Centralized procurement of medical equipment cut its prices by 30%.

What does this change for patients?

The Ministry of Health expects to secure the 2027 supply well ahead of the calendar year. By September, 84% of the required volume of medicines for 2027 had already been purchased, according to earlier reporting by Kursiv. By year-end the ministry aims to build stock covering 95–100% of projected demand.

One change carries a direct clinical cost. From January 1, the drug Ospolot, prescribed to children with epilepsy, will be removed from the list of free medicines. The Ministry of Health says it is selecting alternative treatment regimens for affected patients.

Procurement transparency and AI on the agenda

The council meeting, chaired by Nadezhda Petukhova with the participation of First Vice Minister Timur Sultangaziev, also addressed digitalization of procurement and the use of artificial intelligence in the process. The Public Council named procurement transparency and availability of medicines as its priorities.

For SK-Pharmacia, the 2027 cycle marks a shift in tempo: goods reach warehouses in December, distribution starts January 5, and contract work stretches across a longer window. For the more than 2 million patients dependent on centralized supply, the practical question is continuity — whether early contracting and a 95–100% stock target can prevent the shortages that late procurement cycles have historically caused.