Kazakhstan Launches MedHub HAQ to Accelerate AI Innovation in Healthcare

Astana Hub has launched MedHub HAQ, a new nonprofit infrastructure initiative aimed at significantly boosting the development of medical artificial intelligence within Kazakhstan and the broader Central Asian region. This platform officially began operations on July 8, just ahead of Kazakhstan's new Digital Code taking effect on July 11, which introduces updated regulations for handling personal data.

MedHub HAQ is designed to offer a secure environment for the utilization of anonymized medical data. This framework will support the entire lifecycle of AI-powered healthcare solutions, from development and testing to their eventual deployment. The initiative actively brings together a diverse group of stakeholders, including healthcare providers, universities, medical professionals, researchers, AI developers, and medtech startups.

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The launch of MedHub HAQ is an important step toward building such an ecosystem in Kazakhstan. Astana Hub supports initiatives that help startups move more quickly from concept to implementation while creating conditions for competitive AI solutions in healthcare.

Participants in MedHub HAQ will gain access to anonymized datasets, enabling them to conduct clinical validation of AI solutions and test AI models. The platform also facilitates the implementation of these projects into actual medical practice. A key component is an accelerator program specifically for medtech startups, offering them access to anonymized medical data, AI testing infrastructure, expert guidance, and support for scaling their innovations. Early participants include startups like e-Osmotr, Teri AI, and Neuro Guard, focusing on areas such as digital medical examinations, dermatological diagnostics, and stroke detection.

Astana Hub's Managing Director, Tanat Uskembayev, emphasized that advancing AI in medtech requires more than just technological prowess; it necessitates a robust infrastructure that connects developers, the medical community, research institutions, and government bodies. MedHub HAQ's founder, Togzhan Kozhaly, further elaborated that successful medical AI development hinges on a holistic approach, integrating algorithms with essential elements like data, clinical expertise, annotation, legally compliant processes, and a clear path to implementation. The initiative comprises six interconnected components, including MedEx for data exchange, MedLabel for dataset annotation, MedVentures for startup acceleration, and MedAcademy for training.

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Medical AI cannot be developed solely through a good algorithm. It requires data, doctors, annotation, legally compliant processes, expertise, and a pathway to implementation. MedHub HAQ is being created to connect all these elements into a functioning system.