A panel session on “Protecting Future Generations: Health at the Center of the Environmental Agenda – Lessons and Solutions from the Aral Sea Region” was held at the 2026 Regional Environmental Forum in Astana.

The event was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan Aida Balayeva, the Ministers of Health of the countries of Central Asia and Azerbaijan, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge.

Welcoming the participants, Aida Balayeva noted the personal role of the President of Kazakhstan in shaping environmental culture and the international environmental agenda.

“Speaking at the plenary session of the Regional Economic Council, Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich Tokayev clearly stated: ecology is not a narrowly defined agenda, but a development ideology and a way of life. It is based on responsibility to future generations, a just environmental transition, and the unifying role of international cooperation. In this context, the Taza Kazakhstan movement is shaping a new environmental culture – a culture of personal responsibility, respect for nature, and civic engagement,” emphasized Aida Balayeva. 

The Deputy Prime Minister also highlighted the measures being taken to improve the health of the Kyzylorda region, which is at the epicenter of the Aral Sea crisis. She noted that work is being carried out in four key areas. First and foremost, efforts are being stepped up to combat environmentally related diseases, particularly among the most vulnerable groups. At the same time, medical infrastructure is being developed and access to high-tech care in rural areas is increasing. The issue of staff shortages is being consistently addressed through support measures and specialist training. The region is also implementing systematic measures to provide the population with safe drinking water, improve sanitation, and monitor environmental quality.

According to the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, more than 3 million people live in the Aral Sea region, and up to 40% of diseases are associated with environmental factors.

The consequences of the environmental crisis include an increase in respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and a high prevalence of anemia, especially among women and children.

Participants discussed priority measures to protect the health of future generations and presented a draft Roadmap for a Healthy Future in the Aral Sea Region, aimed at reducing environmental risks and strengthening healthcare systems.

Following the session, a joint document was signed between Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and the WHO Regional Office for Europe, formalizing agreed measures to improve public health in the region. A number of additional memoranda were also signed.

Google machine translated