A thriving nation stems from the health of its newborns.

A thriving nation stems from the health of its newborns.

In honor of the 30-year anniversary of the Ecomed Clinic, a monumental event was held at the clinic's new building. The occasion marked the unveiling of "Añsağan Säbi" ("Long-Awaited Child"), a sculpture that now decorates the clinic's facade. Luminaries from the healthcare and scientific industries, journalists, and children born through in vitro fertilization (IVF) attended the ceremony, as reported by Liter.kz.

Dr. Saltanat Baikoshkaraeva, the clinic's visionary founder, needs no grand introduction. A media personality, public figure, and dedicated professional, she is a pioneer in the field of reproductive medicine in Kazakhstan. Her clinic, Ecomed, is a testament to the impact of private initiative, coupled with professionalism and high expertise. Suffering a seven-year struggle for her own first child, Baikoshkaraeva made the impossible possible, giving countless Kazakh families battling infertility the chance to become parents. She established a top-tier human reproduction research center, nurturing a generation of geneticists and embryologists. Over the past three decades, her clinic has helped bring 30,000 children into the world through IVF.

A Symbol of Dreams Fulfilled

The first sculpture in the form of a maternal hand cradling a baby emerged in Almaty two years ago. It encapsulates the strength, tenderness, faith, and courage of every woman who yearns for motherhood. Now, this symbol, embodying the importance of scientific discoveries and innovations in reproductive health, adorns another modern clinic building at the intersection of Gagarin and Shevchenko streets. Significantly, the sculpture features a cast of the hand of the Ecomed clinic's founder and scientific director, Professor Saltanat Baikoshkaraeva – a hand that has brought thousands of children into the world. On April 18, 1995, she established the small Ecomed lab, where the life of the first Kazakh girl born through IVF began.

News of the birth of the first test-tube baby thirty years ago was not universally celebrated. Innovative young researcher Saltanat Baikoshkarova and her small team faced opposition from established medical figures, notably gynecologists. Surprisingly, journalists stood with them. My investigative report was published in the "Zhuma-Pyatnitsa," an appendix of "Qazpravda," under the headline "Twins from a Test Tube: One - a Child, the Other - a Conflict." The Ecomed scientific lab, occupying three small offices in the "Sovmin," initially struggled to obtain a license for IVF procedures, despite the evident magnitude of the infertility problem and the benefits to Kazakhstani families longing to hear the laughter of children in their homes. The small "Ecomed" team only received a permit after Kazakhstan's healthcare industry was consolidated under the "triple-headed" Health Ministry, Education, and Sports, led by Krymbek Kusherbaev. Since then, thousands of children have been born in Kazakhstan due to IVF, and even the state allocates quotas for this noble cause under the presidential program. In 2020, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev introduced the "Añsağan Säbi" national project, which allocates 7,000 IVF quotas annually. As a result, over 3,000 children were born in Kazakhstan in only the inaugural year of 2021. Looking back on the past thirty years, it's clear that the advancement of reproductive technologies in our country owes much to the selflessness, faith, and dedication of Saltanat Baikoshkarova, the pioneer of IVF in Kazakhstan. Her unwavering confidence in the power of science and her persistent will to help families struggling with conception have worked miracles, bringing new life into the world.

My dream is to eliminate infertility at its core. I dream of a Kazakhstan where there is no infertile couple, where every family can celebrate the cries of a newborn child. I am convinced that for couples facing infertility issues, empathy is paramount. Thus, the sculpture "Añsağan Säbi" aims to gives hope to all who long for a child. Nevertheless, official infertility statistics continue to rise. Therefore, our goal remains unchanged – we strive to raise awareness about the importance of supporting and developing scientific research and innovations in reproductive medicine, said Saltanat Baikoshkaraeva, founder and scientific director of the Ecomed Clinic, at the opening ceremony.

The event was attended by families who have children thanks to IVF. A particularly moving moment was when 23-year-old Diana Omarova, a girl born at the Ecomed Clinic, came to the celebration with her father to personally thank Saltanat Baikoshkaraeva.

"My parents struggled with infertility for eight years. They endured numerous trials but held on to a glimmer of hope - the hope of a miracle. One day, they visited Ecomed, and there I was. Every year on my birthday, my father would remind me, 'Remember, daughter, you're here because of your second mother – Saltanat Baikoshkaraeva.' I have always longed to meet her and express my gratitude. Today is that day. We are here. Thank you for the light you brought into our family," she shared.

At the ceremony marking the Ecomed Clinic's 30th anniversary, Sholpan Karinova, Secretary of the AMANAT party, spoke. She emphasized that the party places great emphasis on the development of domestic healthcare, particularly in rural areas. The health of Kazakhstani citizens is one of the top priorities for Amanat members.

Since 2023, the Women's Wing of the AMANAT party has been active. For us, supporting maternal and child health is crucial. As a result, we are currently implementing several projects aimed at improving women's reproductive health, especially in rural areas, as noted by Sholpan Karinova. The Women's Wing of the AMANAT party has structured its work around ten priority areas, addressing essential aspects of women's leadership, rights protection, economic independence, and social stability. This comprehensive approach enables us to tackle gender issues systematically and achieve tangible change.

Incidentally, each area is overseen by a Mazhilis deputy and a leading public figure, enabling us to combine legislative tools and expert opinion. Regional leaders at party branches execute initiatives locally. For instance, the "Promoting Women's Health and Family Institute Strengthening" area is overseen by Mazhilis deputy Guldarkhan Nurymova and gynecologist Talzhin Ukibasova of the National Center "Ana men bala."

Thus, each priority addresses critical issues requiring legislative solutions and public support. This organized and targeted approach enables the Women's Wing of AMANAT to achieve real outcomes.

In Kazakhstan, one in six families is infertile, and infertility statistics continue to rise. Consequently, our mission remains the same – we aim to promote awareness about the significance of supporting and advancing scientific research and innovations in reproductive medicine, stated Saltanat Baikoshkaraeva, founder and scientific director of the Ecomed Clinic, at the event.

"Artificial intelligence is at your service."

The new Ecomed Clinic building is equipped with advanced medical equipment, incorporating artificial intelligence in its automated Embryoscope Plus incubators. According to Saltanat Baikoshkaraeva, the choice of tools and technologies along the path to parenthood can significantly increase the likelihood of success:

- We are proud to debut EmbryoscopePlus AI - an advanced system designed to revolutionize your IVF experience. We are similarly proud of our unique Japanese Piezo ICSI technology, which helps increase the chances of successful conception.

A modest lab of three rooms, growing over three decades to a network of human reproduction clinics, has trained hundreds of modern reproductive specialists for the country. The Ecomed brand has become synonymous with hope and success in the fight against infertility. High-quality medical care provided by specialists has earned it the status of the top clinic for many infertile couples. In essence, it's a scientific and practical laboratory, implementing global standards and the most advanced technologies in the field of assisted reproductive technologies. Today, the Ecomed network spans 14 clinics in 12 Kazakhstani cities.

- Imagine the sorrow of a woman who has a disabled child or experiences infant mortality. Yet, she yearned for this child, carried the pregnancy for nine months, nurtured, and cherished it. Thus, in my opinion, it is crucial to educate young Kazakhstani individuals from school-age on how to preserve their health to ensure healthy offspring. In essence, our clinics are for the new generation, where young people approach family planning issues consciously, receive education on the matter, and learn their reproductive potential and prognosis in advance. As a result, I am confident: a new generation of Kazakhstan is being born in this clinic.

Janna OIsHybaevA, Astana

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