Kazakhstan has reached a historic milestone in the field of medicine with the premiere of a new documentary, “100 Heart Transplantations in Kazakhstan,” spotlighting the nation’s 100th heart transplant and emphasizing the urgent need for greater awareness around organ donation.
The short film, produced by the Heart Center Foundation and the University Medical Center (UMC), has recently debuted, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.
It aims not only to document the life-saving surgery but also to encourage public discussion on the importance of organ donation, a critical issue in Kazakhstan’s healthcare landscape.
The featured transplant took place earlier this year on a 53-year-old man with chronic heart failure. For four years, the patient lived with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) while awaiting a suitable donor. The successful operation was performed at the UMC Heart Center in Astana.
The documentary recounts the intense race against time that preceded the surgery. The donor heart was originally being flown from Petropavlovsk but had to be rerouted to Karagandy due to poor weather conditions. From there, it was rushed by ambulance to the capital, where the surgical team was on standby. Any delay could have jeopardized the organ’s viability, making the timely delivery and precise coordination critical.
In the 10-minute film, medical staff recount the challenges of that night and reflect on the broader implications of reaching 100 successful heart transplants.
“The development of modern medicine reflects the progress of society as a whole,” said Dr. Yuriy Pya, Chairman of the Board at UMC. “Achieving this milestone shows that Kazakhstan is advancing and aligning with global medical standards.”
Despite this progress, Dr. Pya highlighted an ongoing challenge: “Heart transplants are only possible with organs from deceased donors. At present, this is the only method to save patients in the final stages of heart failure.”
Since performing its first heart transplant 13 years ago, Kazakhstan has completed 103 procedures. However, the demand continues to far exceed supply. Currently, over 4,000 patients are on the national transplant waiting list, including 145 people in need of a heart transplant. Alarmingly, 30 to 35 patients are removed from the list each year without receiving the life-saving surgery-many due to declining health or lack of available donors.
The film’s release comes just ahead of the annual Juregimnin Jenimpazy (“Champion of My Heart”) charity run, set to take place on August 10 in Astana. Expected to draw more than 5,000 participants, the event seeks to promote awareness about organ donation and support individuals awaiting transplants.
