Birtanov Jelzhan Amantaevich

Birtanov Jelzhan Amantaevich

Biography

He studied at Arizona State University in the United States with a degree in intensive care and toxicology; at the Russian Medical Academy, specializing in management in healthcare; at the Charite University Hospital in Berlin with a degree in hospital management; has a diploma in economics from Turan University. Doctor of Medical Sciences.

He worked as a resuscitator of the emergency hospital in Almaty, head of the Republican Center for Toxicology, chief toxicologist of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, director of the RSE "Institute for Health Development" of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Advisor to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Deputy Chairman of the Board of National Medical Holding JSC, Vice Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, since April 2010 heads the National Medical Holding JSC. He is fluent in Kazakh, Russian and English.

2020: Resignation from the post of Minister of Health of Kazakhstan

In July 2020, Alexey Tsoi was appointed Minister of Health of Kazakhstan. Earlier, the post of head of the department was held by Yelzhan Birtanov, who was dismissed during treatment for the coronavirus COVID-19.

2021: Charge of embezzlement in the implementation of the IT system

In early May 2021, the specialized interdistrict investigative court of Nur-Sultan extended house arrest to the former Minister of Health of Kazakhstan Yelzhan Birtanov until June 14, 2021.

The prosecutor asked the court to extend the arrest and deprive Birtanov of the right to leave the house. The court extended the arrest, but refused an additional restriction of the right. Thus, the ex-minister can continue to go to work.

The investigation believes that Yelzhan Birtanov, together with accomplices, caused damage to the state of 1.5 billion tenge ($3.5 million). The ex-Minister of Health of Kazakhstan faces up to 12 years in prison.

Former head of the Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan accused of embezzlement of millions of dollars when introducing an IT system

We are talking about a contract that the Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan signed a contract for the supply of the "Platform for informatization and interoperability of health information systems" for $17.8 million.

According to the prosecutor's office, Birtatov, realizing that the automated system ordered by the ministry was in an inoperable state, ordered it to be put into pilot operation.

Reliably knowing about the inoperability of the platform, by prior agreement with Olzhas Abishev, he signed an order in October 2018 to conduct pilot operation of the platform in 17 medical institutions in the country, the text of the prosecution says. The prosecutor's office notes that the actual operation of the system was not carried out.

In addition, it became known that Birtanov in January 2019 misinformed the leadership of Kazakhstan, informing the head of government about the pilot operation of the digital system of the Ministry of Health. As a result of this, in January 2019, the former head of the Ministry of Health of the republic signed an order to put into trial operation the department's non-working electronic platform. And Birtanov signed an order to put the system into commercial operation.^[1]

2022: Receiving a deadline for the implementation of a non-working IT platform

At the end of October 2022, the former head of the Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan, Yelzhan Birtanov, was sentenced to five years of restriction of freedom in the case of abuse of office. In the same case, Deputy Minister of the country Olzhas Abishev received 4 years of restriction of freedom. During the term appointed by the court, they will not be able to change their permanent residence or work without notice.

In addition, Abishev will be involved in forced labor - 100 hours annually. Material damage in the amount of 1.35 billion tenge will be claimed from Birtanov and Abishev. Also, nni must pay the state duty to the treasury for satisfying the civil claim from the Ministry of Health. More than 20 million tenge is required from each.

Former head of the Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan received a term

Answering journalists' questions after the meeting, Yelzhan Birtanov said that he was partially satisfied with the decision regarding the use of an air ambulance vessel.

For the episode with the platform, of course, I am not satisfied. I consider myself innocent. I remain with my opinion, "he said.

Yelzhan Birtanov was also suspected of abuse of authority when using an air ambulance in June 2020 for personal purposes. On this count, however, he was found not guilty.

According to investigators, ex-officials in December 2018 accepted a non-working platform for digitalization of the Ministry of Health from the Croatian company Ericsson Nikola Tesla, paying $4.1 million in budget funds for it.

Digitalization was taking leaps and bounds with us. The experience was assessed in 2019 by the UN, international medical and public organizations put the digitalization of health care in Kazakhstan as an example to other countries. Digitalization has become an obstacle for the medical mafia, the pharmaceutical mafia. And therefore, Birtanov and I are in the dock. We fought corruption, and for this we decided to punish us, - said in his last word before the announcement of the verdict, former Deputy Minister of Health of Kazakhstan Olzhas Abishev.[2]

Awards

"The excellent student of health care", "azastan Respublikasa of a densaula қ to a sata _s_n і ң zd_g і is awarded with breastplates".

Notes