Pension Reform in Focus: Kazakhstan has tightened early access to Unified Accumulative Pension Fund withdrawals, raising the minimum “sufficiency” thresholds by up to 79% and limiting who can pull money before retirement—an approach officials link to housing and inflation concerns. Humanitarian Health Support: Kazakhstan sent specialist doctors to Afghanistan for complex surgeries (orthopedics, trauma, cardiology, pediatrics and more) alongside 318.8 tons of medical and humanitarian aid. Mental Health Regulation: Kazakhstan passed a law restricting the psychologist title to qualified specialists in a state registry, banning unqualified practice and deceptive marketing, and clarifying that psychologists can’t diagnose or prescribe. Organ Donation Research: A new study highlights how families’ attitudes in intensive care units shape organ donation consent, pointing to the role of trust, knowledge, beliefs and stress. Public Health Data: Research on HPV in Kazakhstan’s Yili region reports ethnic-specific genotype patterns, underscoring the need for targeted prevention. Regional Health & Safety: Uzbekistan reported seizing 2.304 tonnes of narcotics and psychotropic substances since the start of 2026, including synthetic drugs and potent pharmaceuticals, and said cooperation with Kazakhstan and others helped dismantle trafficking channels.