OREANDA-NEWS. August 26, 2013. The Government meeting chaired by Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov has reviewed implementation of the program "Business Road Map 2020" as well as the execution of the plan of action to reduce maternal and infant mortality.

Noting the importance of discussing the financing of the program Business Road Map 2020, further improvement of its mechanisms and tools, Akhmetov stressed that the issues of implementation of the program facilitating the development of business were under special attention of the Head of State.

First Deputy Minister of Regional Development Kairbek Uskenbayev noted the effectiveness and relevance of the program "Business Road Map 2020" which covered more than 36,000 entrepreneurs, preserved more than 145,000 existing jobs and created about 40,000 new jobs.

According to Uskenbayev, "every fifth job in the economy of Kazakhstan is created in the framework of the program "Business Road Map 2020. 56 billion tenge was paid in taxes within the framework of the program. The share of loans under the program is 11.6% of all loans to SMEs."

"Over the past two years the program was amended three times. The next thing on the agenda is the fourth package of changes. The main focus of the 3rd and 4th packages of changes is a shift in focus to the support of the projects of small and medium-sized businesses and small projects. The package of changes will be submitted for consideration of the Government in October this year," Uskenbayev noted.

He noted the new changes would create the conditions to provide more support measures to businessmen and people with entrepreneurial potential.

Summarizing the discussion, the Prime Minister emphasized the achievement of some results in the implementation of the Business Road Map 2020 and stressed the need to improve the quality of its performance, use the full potential of the program. In this regard, Akhmetov instructed the Ministry of Regional Development to focus on the interaction and coordination with the regions, and the regions – to focus on the quality of project selection and development of allocated funds.

Health Minister Salidat Kairbekova reported on the progress of implementation of the action plan to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates. According to her, "reduction in maternal and infant mortality rates was achieved due to the adoption of the system measures", including the introduction of effective international technology, implementation of safe motherhood programs, integrated management of childhood illnesses.

The national center coordinating the implementation of effective technologies has been working for three years. Each regional perinatal center and children's hospital has training centers for continuing professional development of health professionals providing care to pregnant women, new mothers and children. More than 80% of health workers of maternity and children's organizations have been trained in line with international standards. Emergency neonatal and pediatric care has been improved significantly. National centers to assess the knowledge and practical skills have been opened in the cities of Astana and Almaty.

UNICEF Representative in Kazakhstan Jun Kukita also delivered a speech on this theme.

According to the Prime Minister, a lot has been done in the field of health in recent years. Kazakhstan has been developing cardiac surgery, transplantation, transport medicine, introduced the national screening program, expanded the list of guaranteed free medical care.

At the same time Serik Akhmetov urged the Ministry of Health to strengthen the work on raising public awareness through the media about the innovations and achievements of domestic
medicine.

Concerning the issues of maternal and child mortality, the Prime Minister stressed that "maternal and infant mortality should be considered as an extraordinary event," and the Ministry of Health in cooperation with the regions have to carry out a qualitative analysis in this sphere.