CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF HEALTHCARE IN THE EUROPEAN REGION: RELEVANCE FOR KAZAKHSTAN

Abstract

The article examines the relevance of the European experience of cross-border cooperation in healthcare for Kazakhstan and its southern neighbors. The aim of the study is to analyze the possibilities of adapting European models of cooperation in medicine in Central Asia in the context of regionalization and the growing flows of people, goods and services across the Central Asian borders. The main attention is paid to such types of cooperation as mobility of patients and health care workers, exchange of medical services and equipment. The scientific topicality of the work is in the study of European examples of cross-border medical interaction, including projects of joint management of hospitals and provision of emergency care in border regions. The practical significance is in the possibility of using these models to improve the availability of medical services in remote border areas of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. The research methodology includes an analysis of the literature on specific cases of cross-border cooperation in Europe, such as projects on the border of Spain and France and in Northern Europe. The study also considers the mechanisms facilitating successful cooperation, including the creation of specialized cross-border regions and attracting external funding. The main findings of the study show that European experience can be applied in Central Asia, especially in conditions of limited resources and geographical remoteness from medical infrastructure. However, building effective cooperation requires overcoming legal, bureaucratic and political obstacles, as well as ensuring information security. The findings highlight the value of strengthening cross-border cooperation in medicine to improve accessibility of services in Central Asia. The work contributes to expanding understanding of the possibilities of cooperation between health systems in border regions and offers practical recommendations for their adaptation to the conditions of the Central Asian region.