Kazakhstan — Insurance

Comprehensive travel insurance with medical evacuation cover is strongly advised: public hospitals are variable and serious cases are typically evacuated to Europe or the Gulf. Almaty and Astana have private clinics used by expats with English-speaking staff; quality drops fast outside the two main cities.

State AIDS Centers in major cities offer free, anonymous HIV testing, and private laboratory chains in Almaty and Astana run cheap walk-in STI panels with results in a day or two. Bring any regular medication with you — pharmacy stock and labelling are Russian-language and brand names differ.