Local foods, food-safety habits, hospital daily life, travel during treatment, the health system, language and emergency numbers from reliable sources.
Keep a translation of your diagnosis, treatment plan and medication list in this language or in English. Many hospitals offer interpreters — ask in advance.
Health system overview
There is state-funded care and a compulsory social health insurance system; specialised centres are mainly in Astana and Almaty. Medical staff do not typically speak English — prepare translations. Visitors need travel insurance.
Leukemia care: centres
Kazakhstan
Auto + allo
Main centres
National Research Oncology Center, Astana (adults)
Scientific Center of Pediatrics and Pediatric Surgery, Almaty (children)
Transplant: The Astana centre performs all types: autologous, allogeneic from related and unrelated donors, and haploidentical (more than 700 transplants since 2010). The Almaty centre transplants children.
Good to know: According to the newspaper Kazakhstanskaya Pravda (2023), transplantation is free for citizens under the guaranteed free medical care package and compulsory social health insurance.
Wherever you live, the core rules with low immunity are the same: clean hands, keeping raw and cooked food apart, cooking thoroughly, chilling quickly and choosing pasteurised dairy. At local markets and street stalls, watch how food is stored. Ask your team whether tap water is fine for you; if unsure, use bottled or boiled water.
Hospital daily life
In many hospitals in this region a family member stays with the patient to help with daily care, and families often bring food from home. With low immunity, agree with the ward which food can be brought and how it should be prepared and stored. Fewer visitors, and none who are unwell, lowers the risk of infection.
Travel during treatment
Talk to your care team before planning a trip — timing, blood counts and vaccines.
Carry a doctor’s letter with your diagnosis, treatment plan and medication list (including in English).
Pack medicines in original packaging, in hand luggage, with extra; some medicines have import rules.
Get travel insurance that covers your existing condition and read the terms.
Find the nearest haematology centre and the emergency number at your destination in advance.
Live vaccines can be unsafe during treatment — ask your team before any vaccination.
Ask your team about clot risk on long flights and move around when you can.
