Republican student conference “Public health: an interdisciplinary approach to the problems of tuberculosis and depression”

On March 19, 2025, the Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Evidence-based Medicine of the Faculty of Medicine and Public Health of Al-Farabi KazNU held the Republican Student Conference dedicated to current issues of tuberculosis and depression. The event was timed to coincide with World TB Day (March 24) and aimed at the interdisciplinary discussion of these significant problems for Kazakhstan.

Conference participants:

• National Scientific Center of Phthisiopulmonology of the MH RK
• -South Kazakhstan Medical Academy (SKMA)
• KazNMU named after S. D. Asfendiyarov
• students and teachers of medical universities

Key speeches

М. B. Istleuova (doctor of the Department of Treatment of patients with XDR-TB at NSCFT, MPH). The report highlights “National recommendations and clinical protocols on TB diagnosis and treatment”, modern treatment methods, and Kazakhstan's achievements in TB control.

Aiym Zharmukhambet (2nd-year student of PH, Faculty of Medicine and Public Health, Al-Farabi KazNU), with the report “What do we know about TB?” reported on epidemiology and the epidemiological situation on TB and fulfillment of WHO standards.

Malika Idayat (PhD student of EB&EBM department of the Faculty of Medicine and Public Health of Al-Farabi KazNU) with the report “The burden of tuberculosis in the Republic of Kazakhstan” reported on the burden of multidrug-resistant forms of TB and new approaches to TB impact assessment (DALY, YLL, YLD).

А. N. Kozhakhmetova (lecturer of the Department of Nutrition of KazNMU), in the report “Features of nutrition in tuberculosis”, reported on the role of diet in the complex treatment of patients.

Л. A. Sadykova (lecturer of the Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, UKMA), in the report “Mental health in tuberculosis: depression and ways of correction”, reported on the impact of chronic diseases on the psyche status of patients.

Timur Popov (2nd-year student of PH, Faculty of Medicine and Public Health of Al-Farabi KazNU), in “Depression: psychological, social and environmental factors,” reported on the factors contributing to the development of depression and modern methods of treatment.

А. N. Kozhakhmetova (lecturer of the Department of Nutrition of KazNMU-KazNMU) gave the report “"Fasting Nutrition" and "Healthy Eating Plate" which brought the audience a cultural aspect in anticipation of the holiday - a celebration of Nauryz in the country.

The conference ended with a thematic quiz from KazNMU students on nutrition and healthy lifestyle.

Venue: Abay Hall of the Scientific Library of KazNU named after Al-Farabi.

Acknowledgments

The organizers express their gratitude to the library staff for their help in holding the event.

Organizing Committee:

Iskakova F. A., Arynova G. A, Belkhodjaev A. A, UalievaA. E., Abildaeva A. M.

The conference was an important platform for sharing experiences and discussing strategies to combat tuberculosis and depression in Kazakhstan.