Why does the gap between health outcomes for children in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan not mirror their economic difference?

It is often said that economic growth promotes human development but it is not always true that economic growth automatically results in poverty reduction and human development. This paper illustrates that policies play an important role in establishing this link. It examines the differences between Kazakhstan's and Kyrgyzstan's health policy and spending to understand factors explaining why two countries with a significant economic difference do not differ in their health outcomes for children. In doing so, it explores the main health policies of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan and their implications for children's lives from a capability perspective built within a concern of human development more broadly.