26.05.2026

Medical professionals from public hospitals in the Atyrau Region will receive training from leading international experts from the European Union. The professional development programme will cover all ultrasound specialists, as well as obstetricians-gynaecologists and neonatologists. The “AYALA Academy” project is being implemented within the framework of the Tengizchevroil Social Investment Programme and is organised by the AYALA Charity Foundation with the support of the Atyrau Region Health Department.

Throughout 2026, Atyrau will host three five-day masterclasses dedicated to prenatal ultrasound diagnostics, neonatal ultrasound diagnostics, and the management of complex cases in obstetrics and gynaecology. Each masterclass is aimed at transferring advanced theoretical and practical knowledge accumulated internationally to Kazakhstani medical specialists.

The first five-day masterclass on advanced prenatal diagnostics will begin on 15 June for ultrasound specialists from all district hospitals of the Atyrau Region, as well as from the Regional Perinatal Centre, the Atyrau City Maternity Hospital and the Regional Children’s Hospital. The programme in Atyrau will be led by Professor Tullio Ghi — a member of the Scientific Committee of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (ISUOG) and of the Italian Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Professor Ghi’s work has been recognised by international scientific organisations for his achievements in prenatal diagnostics and fetal medicine.

“For the past 15 years, the AYALA Charity Foundation has been organising masterclasses, seminars and supporting conferences aimed at enhancing the professional competencies of Kazakhstani ultrasound specialists, neonatologists, obstetricians-gynaecologists, nurses and midwives. More than 2,800 medical professionals have already taken part in these educational initiatives. I am confident that the knowledge gained from leading international experts will be applied by doctors in their daily practice and will contribute to the further reduction of infant mortality and disability from birth in the Atyrau Region,” noted Aidan Suleimenova, Founder and President of the AYALA Charity Foundation.

As part of the “AYALA Academy” project, Kazakhstan has for the fourth consecutive year operated a free online educational platform with video courses, providing access to training even for healthcare professionals working in rural areas. To date, the platform has issued 1,063 certificates of course completion. The Foundation has organised more than 30 masterclasses and seminars with leading international experts in Astana and Almaty. It also organised the First International Conference for Neonatal Nurses (2023), the International Congress of Obstetricians (2024), and the International Conference of Neonatologists (2024). The Foundation collaborates with medical specialists from 14 countries, including Italy, South Korea, India, France, Sweden, Australia, Latvia, Belarus, Lithuania, Russia, the United States, Uzbekistan and Poland.

“Further reduction of maternal and infant mortality remains an important priority for the development of Kazakhstan’s healthcare system, as it directly reflects both the social well-being of the regions and the quality of healthcare services provided to the population. Today, particular attention is being paid to improving access to qualified medical care for women and children, including through the development of professional medical capacity in the regions and rural areas.

In this regard, the ‘AYALA Academy’ project, implemented in the Atyrau Region within the framework of the Social Investment Programme, is of particular importance. It enables doctors working in public healthcare institutions to gain access to modern international medical practices and improve their qualifications without leaving the region. We are confident that educational initiatives of this kind will contribute to the further improvement of healthcare quality for all residents of the region,” noted Nurmukhamed Karatabayev, General Manager for Government and Public Affairs at Tengizchevroil LLP.

It should be noted that in 2025, with the support of Tengizchevroil, the AYALA Foundation equipped the Atyrau Regional Perinatal Centre with a nitric oxide therapy system intended for newborns with respiratory failure and other critical conditions, a neonatal-safe X-ray unit, a new neonatal anaesthesia and ventilation machine, as well as a retinal camera for the early detection of visual impairments in premature infants. In addition, the Centre opened its first neonatal surgery department.

The AYALA Charity Foundation is the only charitable organisation in Kazakhstan specialising in neonatology. Over the past 19 years, the Foundation has raised and invested more than KZT 3.2 billion into equipping 67 intensive care units at perinatal centres, children’s hospitals and scientific medical centres across the country with modern medical equipment. Since 2007, this support has helped save the lives of hundreds of thousands of children in Kazakhstan.