Kazakhstan is a large Central Asian country, bordering Russia at its north, and Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan at its south. It is a developing country, and international aid plays a large part in disease control. HIV/AIDS in Kazakhstan has been a growing problem for years. A combination of domestic and international aid has been successfully active in Kazakhstan, but this problem is very much ongoing. Furthermore, U.S. budget cuts are threatening aid which Kazakhstan relies on.

Overview of HIV/AIDS in Kazakhstan

The Eastern Europe and Central Asian region (EECA) is the only region in the world where HIV and AIDS infections, as well as AIDS-related deaths, are still rising. A study carried out under Dove Press shows a consistent increase in the percentage of the Kazakh population living with HIV since 2010 – 0.12% of the population in 2010, and 0.27% in 2020. As of 2024, around 43,000 adults aged above 15 live with HIV in Kazakhstan.

Poverty also has some correlation with HIV/AIDS in Kazakhstan. Sex workers are at higher risk of infection, a lifestyle which is generally a product of poverty and desperation. Furthermore, drug-users are at higher risk of HIV than non-drug-users, another practice which has links – cause or effect – to poverty. One way in which Kazakhstan could indirectly address its HIV/AIDS problem would be to help the poorest, and bring people out of particularly vulnerable situations.

There are reasons for optimism: 

• The HIV epidemic in Kazakhstan is isolated to certain groups, such as people who inject drugs, or men who have sex with other men. It is not a population-wide epidemic, and therefore eradication is more easily attainable. 
• According to UNAIDS, in 2024, there was a 2% decrease in new HIV cases compared to 2010.
• The international community is helping Kazakhstan in a number of ways.

The Importance of International Aid

There are multiple NGOs and state-funded organizations which have helped and are helping Kazakhstan. These include:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): CDC is a U.S.-based and government funded organization which works globally. In 2005, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) implemented actions, and since then, CDC has supported Kazakh domestic organizations, such as KSCDID, in researching and treating HIV/AIDS in Kazakhstan:

• CDC has improved online services, making information accessible to the Kazakh population and encouraging informed decision-making.
• CDC supports five HIV treatment facilities with funding and technology. These accounted for 5,234 patients in 2024, a 34% increase since 2019.
• CDC claims to have supplied effective treatment to more than 20,000 infected people in Kazakhstan, in collaboration with its government.

The UNDP: The UN Development Program (UNDP) has helped to modernize health care in Kazakhstan:

• Invested in modern, effective equipment for PCR testing in 15 different AIDS centers across Kazakhstan.
• Pushed HIV and AIDS testing towards automation – less direct contact with doctors results in lower likelihood of human error or even further spread of infection.

USAID: This was an organization created under President Bush. It is credited with saving 25 million lives worldwide through its work on HIV and AIDS, and was very influential in Kazakhstan:

• USAID allocated more than $15 million USD to Kazakhstan in 2024. About $8.8 million USD out of this total was invested in health care, with the rest being split between goals such as upholding human rights, stimulating economic development and maintaining peace.
• In 2020, USAID launched a flagship project in Kazakhstan which tested more than 10,000 people for HIV/AIDS, 600 of which were positive. This project also granted life-saving health care to more than 3,000 people living with HIV.

Threat to International Aid

This year, President Trump aims to decrease government spending by $9 billion USD. One victim of these cuts is USAID, which had to shut down in July 2025 due to lack of funding. Both former-presidents Bush and Obama have condemned this action.

The organization UNAIDS particularly focuses on the significance of the U.S. funding, and impact of the cuts. It projects a 90% reduction in HIV testing and outreach in two regions of Kazakhstan, accounting for 20% of the drug-using population and 9% of men who have sex with men.

The morale of the Kazakh people is another important factor. The fear of HIV and AIDS negatively affects the population, and UNAIDS highlights the significance and growth of this fear with the introduction of the temporary U.S. funding freeze in March 2025, even before the cuts have been fully implemented.

Reasons to Be Optimistic

Under these threatening circumstances, there are multiple actors working to soften the potential blows as much as possible. For example, the Government of Kazakhstan is committed to filling the gaps that the U.S. left with domestic funding. The government already covered 95% of the costs of HIV research and treatment, and so were not entirely reliant on the CDC before the cuts.

Communities in Kazakhstan are also mobilizing. There has been increased volunteering, as well as outreach workers moving to AIDS centers. There has also been dialogue with the Global Fund, which could help in the place of U.S. aid.

Meanwhile, in the case of the U.S. Government, in July 2025, U.S. senators said that they would end a plan to cut $400 million dollars from PEPFAR funding, a decision which many experts are relieved about. This should significantly lessen the potential impact of the cuts on HIV and AIDS relief, in Kazakhstan and across the world.

Looking Ahead

In summary, while HIV/AIDS in Kazakhstan is a significant problem, and the threats to international aid funding are of further concern, there is cause for optimism. The people of Kazakhstan, as well as the international community, are adapting and making the best of their situation.

– Oliver Evans

Oliver is based in Devon, United UK and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr