Infectious Diseases and the Causes of Their Spread in the Akmola Region of Kazakh Republic (1954–1965)
Keywords:
Akmola region, infectious diseases, clearing of virgin lands, healthAbstract
Introduction: During the period from 1954 to 1965, the Soviet government initiated the development of virgin and fallow lands, intensifying migration flows into the Akmola region (renamed Tselinograd in 1961) and contributing to a significant increase in infectious diseases.
Objectives: The purpose of this article is to investigate the nature and causes of the spread of infectious diseases in the Akmola region during the development of virgin and fallow lands.
Methods: The article includes a brief historiographical overview of historical and medical works related to the topic and outlines the scientific methods and sources used in the study. It also analyzes the work of administrative health authorities and medical personnel in the virgin land areas of the Akmola region during the period under review. The analysis assesses the level of medical care provided to the population, including disease prevention and treatment, vaccination campaigns, quarantine and disinfection measures, and medical supervision in a vast area affected by infectious outbreaks. Special attention is given to the issue of medical staff shortages.
Results: In studying the state of healthcare and the factors contributing to the spread of infectious diseases in Akmola, certain trends and problems typical of the entire Tselinny Krai were identified. The study finds that during the development of virgin and fallow lands in the Akmola region, infectious diseases—primarily tuberculosis, diphtheria, polio, and others—were widespread.
Conclusions: The authors conclude that the persistent presence of these diseases in the region’s medical practice resulted from a complex set of contributing factors.
References
1. State Archive of Astana city (SAgA), fond 23, opis 3, delo 69. Report of the Chairman of the City Executive Committee. n.p.: n.pub.; 1959.
2. SAgA, fond 168, opis 1, delo 1. Draft Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR “On the Development of the City of Tselinogradˮ. n.p.: n.pub.; 1965.
3. SAgA, fond 168, opis 1, delo 76. Materials on further improvement of medical services for the population of the Tselinny Region. n.p.: n.pub.; 1965.
4. SAgA, fond 168, opis 1, delo 75. Materials on further improvement of medical services for the population of the Tselinny Region in 1963. n.p.: n.pub.; 1963.
5. Blum A. To be born, to live and to die in the USSR. Moscow: New Publishing House; 2002.
6. Zatravkin SN, Vishlenkova EA. Deterioration of Soviet people's health in an era of station. Problems of social hygiene, public health and history of medicine 2021; 29(2):359–368.
7. Balykova A, Mazhitova Z, Zhalmurzina A, Kurbanova D. The impact of virgin lands development on the organization of medical education (on the example of the Tselinograd Medical Institute, 1964–1965). E3S Web of Conferences 2023; 462:1–8.
8. Khamitova M. Western Historians about the Development of the Virgin Lands of Kazakhstan. Eurasian Union of Scientists 2020; 1(70):28–35.
9. Alikeeva GM, Sayatova AS, Shahieva AM. Developing of Health care in Kazakhstan during mastering of Virgin Lands. Vestnik KazNMU 2015; 2:578–579.
10. Yakovenko V. The history of Soviet medicine. Review of the latest research (2010–2020). Cahiers du monde russe 2025; 62(4):1–14.
11. Orazbayeva A, Kozina V, Mazhitova Z, Kurbanova D. Problems of establishment and activity of the antituberculosis service in Kazakhstan during Virgin Lands campaign (early 1960s). E3S Web of Conferences 2023; 371:1–8.
12. Kozina V, Yeleukhanova S, Mazhitova Z, Zhalmurzina A, Kurbanova D. Ecology and health of the population in the city of Tselinograd in 1964 (the case of infectious hepatitis and typhoid fever outbreak). E3S Web of Conferences 2023; 371:1–9.
13. Sviridova LE. Let's look at the past. From the history of healthcare and medicine in Northern Kazakhstan. Moscow: Nauka; 1990.
14. Belonog AA, Zholshorinov AZh. On the state of the incidence of particularly dangerous infections among the population and the measures taken to stabilize it in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Quarantine and zoonotic infections in Kazakhstan 2004; 2(10):13–14.
15. SAgA, fond 23, opis 3, delo 19. Decisions of the City Health Department for 1957. n.p.: n.pub.; 1957.
16. SAgA, fond 23, opis 3, delo 42. Situational reports of the City Sanitary and Epidemiological Station on infectious diseases for 1958. n.p.: n.pub.; 1958.
17. SAgA, fond 168, opis 1, delo 56. On measures to further improve medical services for the population in 1962. n.p.: n.pub.; 1962.
18. SAgA, fond 135, opis 3, delo 1. Workers' complaints to the Party Committee. n.p.: n.pub.; 1958.
19. SAgA, fond 140, opis 1, delo 201. Workers' complaints to the Party Committee. n.p.: n.pub.; 1962.
20. SAgA, fond 140, opis 1, delo 202. Workers' complaints to the Party Committee. n.p.: n.pub.; 1964.
21. Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History (RSASPH), fond 17, opis 94, delo 543. The transcript. n.p.: n.pub.; 1964.
22. Central State Archive of the Republic of Kazakhstan, fond 1693, opis 2, delo 59. Reports of the Republican Sanitary and Epidemiological Station on Forms 85–87 on Infectious Diseases for 1957. n.p.: n.pub.; 1957.
23. SAgA, fond 168, opis 1, delo. 78. Situational reports of the City Sanitary and Epidemiological Station on infectious diseases for 1963. n.p.: n.pub.; 1963.
24. SAgA, fond 23, opis 1L, delo 32. Order book of the City Health Department on personnel matters for 1954–1958. n.p.: n.pub.; 1958.
25. SAgA, fond 160, opis 1, delo 35. About housing conditions. n.p.: n.pub.; 1959.
26. SAgA, fond 23, opis 3, delo 14. Regulations and orders issued by higher organizations related to the activities of the city health department. n.p.: n.pub.; 1955.
27. SAgA, fond 23, opis 3, delo 35. Decisions of the City Executive Committee relating to the activities of the Health Department for 1958. n.p.: n.pub.; 1958.
28. SAgA, fond 23, opis 1, delo 285. Statistical reports of the City Health Department on the incidence of infectious diseases and on preventive vaccinations for 1969. n.p.: n.pub.; 1969.
29. SAgA, fond 23, opis 3, delo 46. Analytical review of nurseries for 1958. n.p.: n.pub.; 1958.
30. SAgA, fond 23, opis 3, delo 104. Statistical reports of the City Health Department on the incidence of infectious diseases and on preventive vaccinations for 1960–1961. n.p.: n.pub.; 1961.
31. SAgA, fond 23, opis 5, delo 40. Statistical report of the City Sanitary and Epidemiological Station and comporative data on infectious disease incidence for 1969 compared with 1968 in the city Tselinograd. n.p.: n.pub.; 1969.
32. SAgA, fond 377, opis 2, delo 27. Reports from the city's sanitary and epidemiological station on the incidence of acute intestinal infections in 1962. n.p.: n.pub.; 1962.
33. Russian State Archive of Modern History, fond 72, opis 1, delo 29. Information about the promotion of medical and hygienic knowledge. n.p.: n.pub.; 1964.
34. SAgA, fond 377, opis 1, delo 2. On urgent measures to improve water supply and sanitation in the city of Tselinograd in 1964–1965. n.p.: n.pub.; 1965.
35. RSASPH, fond 17, opis 90, delo 401. Protocol of the 10th Kokchetav Regional Party Conference. n.p.: n.pub.; 1960.
36. Alimbaev T, Omarova B, Tuleubayeva S, Kamzayev B, Aipov N, Mazhitova Z. Ecological problems of water resources in Kazakhstan. E3S Web of Conferences 2021; 244:1–10.
37. SAgA, fond 23, opis 3, delo 285. Decisions of the City Executive Committee relating to the activities of the Health Department for 1964. n.p.: n.pub.; 1964.
38. Krakovsky AI. Health protection in the USSR. Statistical collection. Moscow: Finansy i statistika; 1990.
39. SAgA, fond 23, opis 3, delo 31. Statistical data on mortality for 1957. n.p.: n.pub.; 1957.
40. SAgA, fond 168, opis 1, delo 24. Reports of the USSR Ministry of Health team on the results of an inspection of healthcare facilities in the Tselinny Region in 1961. n.p.: n.pub.; 1961.
41. SAgA, fond 168, opis 1, delo 47. Materials on medical care for livestock farmers in 1962. n.p.: n.pub.; 1962.
42. SAgA, fond 23, opis 3, delo 33. Correspondence of the Health Department on issues of improving medical services for the population in 1957. n.pub.; 1957.
43. SAgA, fond 23, opis 1L, delo 31. Decisions of the City Executive Committee relating to the activities of the Health Department for 1957. n.p.: n.pub.; 1957.
44. SAgA, fond 23, opis 3, delo 26. Analytical reviews of the 2nd Hospital on therapy and surgery for 1957. n.p.: n.pub.; 1957.
45. SAgA, fond 23, opis 3, delo 44. Analytical reviews of the 2nd Hospital on the diphtheria ward, therapy, and surgery for 1958. n.p.: n.pub.; 1958.
46. SAgA, fond 377, opis 1, delo 5. Annual Sanitation Report for 1966. n.p.: n.pub.; 1966.
47. SAgA, fond 23, opis 3, delo 24. Decisions of the City Executive Committee relating to the activities of the Health Department for 1956. n.p.: n.pub.; 1956.
48. SAgA, fond 23, opis 3, delo 22. Annual Report of the City Health Department for 1957. n.p.: n.pub.; 1957.
49. Kalabekov IG. The number of doctors and specialists with secondary medical education in the USSR. https://su90.ru/doctors.html retrieved April 13, 2025.
50. SAgA, fond 168, opis 1, delo 52. Reports of the USSR Ministry of Health team on the results of an inspection of healthcare facilities in the Tselinny Region in 1963. n.p.: n.pub.; 1963.
51. RSASPH, fond 17, opis 94, delo 561. About personnel. n.p.: n.pub.; 1957.
52. “Meteor measurements onlineˮ. Weather forecast. http://thermo.karelia.ru/weather/w_history.php?town=tsl&month=6&year=1960 retrieved April 13, 2025.
53. SAgA, fond 168, opis 1, delo 31. Decisions of the Medical Council of the Regional Health Department for 1962. n.p.: n.pub.; 1962.
54. State Archive of Pavlodar Oblast (SAPO), fond 698, opis 1, delo 5. Documents on the religious situation in the region in 1966. n.p.: n.pub.; 1966.
55. SAPO, fond 698, opis 1, delo 6. Documents on the religious situation in the region in 1967. n.p.: n.pub.; 1967.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Aigul Zhalmurzina, Zhanna Mazhitova, Jamyikat Omurova, Gulnara Kurumbaeva
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Transfer of Copyright and Permission to Reproduce Parts of Published Papers.
Authors retain the copyright for their published work. No formal permission will be required to reproduce parts (tables or illustrations) of published papers, provided the source is quoted appropriately and reproduction has no commercial intent. Reproductions with commercial intent will require written permission and payment of royalties.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
