Swiss companies are strengthening the healthcare infrastructure in Kazakhstan
Heitkamp Construction Swiss and a dozen Swiss suppliers are supporting the construction of a hospital in northern Kazakhstan by supplying medical equipment, sanitary facilities and lifts. Swiss Export Risk Insurance SERV is supporting the financing of the project with a buyer credit insurance policy.
24.08.2026
The Akmola region in northern Kazakhstan is scarcely populated, with only five people per square kilometre on average across the region’s vast steppe areas. In a remote region like this, local healthcare provision is essential, since the nearest major hospital is in the capital, Astana, several hours away by car.
The Government of Kazakhstan therefore decided in 2022 to establish a public-private partnership (PPP) with a subsidiary of the Turkish conglomerate, Rönesans Holding. The PPP agreement was concluded with a special purpose vehicle (SPV) owned by Rönesans Holding. The scope of the contract is to build and operate a hospital in the town of Kokshetau for the region’s residents.
Medical equipment and lifts from Switzerland
The Swiss company Heitkamp Construction Swiss, which is part of the Rönesans Group, is involved in the construction and fitting-out of the hospital in Kokschetau. Heitkamp is supported by a total of twelve Swiss suppliers, each contributing a wide range of services. Some supply equipment for endoscopic procedures or eye surgery, whilst others provide materials for patient diagnosis and monitoring. In addition to medical equipment, building components from Switzerland are also being exported to Kazakhstan, including sanitary systems and lifts.
The Swiss companies’ exports are covered by buyer credit insurance provided by Swiss Export Risk Insurance SERV. For SERV, this is the first hospital project it has supported. “We were impressed by the breadth of equipment and services from the Swiss export industry in the healthcare sector,” explains Cristina Palade, who is overseeing the project on behalf of SERV. “This includes not only medical and technical equipment, but also systems and components for modern hospital infrastructure.”
A key project for healthcare and the local economy
The Kokschetau Hospital is due to open in 2027. The extensive complex will eventually offer 630 beds for in-patient care. In addition, there will be 38 beds in the intensive care unit, a 10-bed maternity ward and a 63-bed day clinic. The multidisciplinary hospital, which will offer both surgical procedures and medical treatments, is set to provide healthcare for around 730 000 residents in the region.
The construction of the hospital currently engages a workforce of some 2 600 individuals, while the completed facility is projected to create employment for approximately 2 500 people. The project thus serves a dual purpose, advancing both regional healthcare services provision and economic development.
New ground for several project parties
The public-private partnership between the state of Kazakhstan and private partners is the first project of its kind in the Kazakh healthcare sector and one of the largest in Central Asia. The project is being implemented by an SPV owned by Rönesans Holding, a Turkish conglomerate with extensive experience in developing and operating healthcare infrastructure under PPP models.
With Kokshetau Hospital, Rönesans Holding is expanding this expertise into Central Asia through the region’s first PPP healthcare project. The company currently operates six PPP hospitals in Türkiye with a total capacity of 9 200 beds, serving more than 100 million patients to date. Beyond healthcare infrastructure, Rönesans is active in construction, real estate, concessions, renewable energy and industrial investments across 40 countries in Europe, Central Asia and Africa.
Doruk Günay, Head of Export Finance at Rönesans Holding said: “Having successfully delivered six PPPhospitals in Türkiye, Rönesans is now bringing this expertise to Central Asia through the region’s first PPP healthcare project. The SERV-backed financing for Kokshetau Hospital enables us to invest in Kazakhstan while creating tangible value in Switzerland through our Swiss subsidiary, Heitkamp Construction Swiss GmbH, and its supplier network. It is a strong example of how international collaboration can deliver vital healthcare infrastructure and shared economic benefits. We look forward to working with SERV and Heitkamp Construction Swiss GmbH to develop similar financing structures for future projects in our target countries.”
At the outset, the project managers had to gain an overview of the political and regulatory risks, as well as the structural challenges, posed by the sparsely populated region in which the hospital is being built. Cristina Palade, who now works at SERV, was already involved in the project while employed at her previous company, a bank. She speaks of it as a project she feels especially close to: “Kokshetau Hospital is truly unique in the area. This modern hospital will improve the lives of many people in a structurally disadvantaged region.”
This is SERV’s first hospital project. We were brought on board by Heitkamp as early as 2023 and have since worked closely with all partners to develop a tailor-made financing solution. The financing for the project was finalised in 2025. SERV provided buyer credit insurance for 98 million euros for the project, of which almost 40 per cent was contributed by Swiss suppliers.
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