Online addiction doctor consultation in Almaty

Reviewed byNurlan Isayev, MDAddiction psychiatrist, experience 10 years · updated 8 Nov 2026

Key facts

Who provides it

A narcologist (addiction medicine doctor); a psychiatrist joins if depression, psychosis or a dual diagnosis is suspected

Where

Video call via a messaging app or a link, from home, from work, from another city or another country

Duration

Usually 30–60 minutes; follow-up support sessions are shorter

Anonymity

You don’t have to give your surname, and a relative doesn’t have to turn on the camera; medical confidentiality is protected by the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Public Health and the Healthcare System”

When it’s urgent

Seizures, delirium, hallucinations, chest pain, vomiting blood, suicidal thoughts — call 103 or 112 immediately

Outcome

A risk assessment, a clear plan for the next 24 hours, and a decision on a home visit, a clinic appointment or inpatient care

What you should know

I am the on-call doctor of a mobile medical team, and a good share of my shifts start not on the road but on a phone screen. A wife calls at night: her husband has been drinking for five days, his hands are shaking, he isn’t sleeping. Ten minutes later we are on a video call. I can see the man, hear how he speaks, ask him to show me his hands, and ask about his blood pressure, vomiting and any seizures in the past. Those details tell me whether it is safe to wait until morning, whether we need to go out right now, or whether it is time to call 103.

An online consultation does not replace an in-person examination, but it answers the key question of that first night: what to do right now. For people living in the upper part of the city, or out in Kaskelen or Talgar, it is a way to avoid losing an hour in traffic when home treatment is not yet needed. And if it is needed, the team leaves immediately, and I already know what I will find in the apartment, which IV solutions to bring and what to tell the family before we arrive. That is how Narcology 24 works: the call and the home visit are one continuous chain of care.

When to Get on a Video Call with an Addiction Doctor

• the person has been drinking or using for several days in a row and cannot stop on their own
• after stopping, they developed tremor, sweating, insomnia or anxiety
• the family doesn’t know whether to call a doctor to the home or whether it can wait until morning
• the person agrees to talk to a doctor but refuses to visit a clinic
• you need a second opinion on treatment that has already been prescribed or on lab results
• the family wants to discuss how to persuade a loved one to start treatment
• you are in the suburbs or in another country and cannot come in for an appointment

If two or three points apply, it is worth seeing a doctor. Phone advice is free and confidential. If life is at risk, call 103 or 112.

Why More and More People Choose an Online Consultation

The first barrier to addiction treatment is shame and the fear of other people finding out. It is easier for a person to answer a doctor’s questions on the phone from their own room than to walk into a building with a “Narcology” sign on it. The second barrier is time and travel: in the evening, the drive from Nauryzbay district to the city center can take more than an hour. A video call removes both obstacles and lets the conversation start when the person has finally decided to have it, not when the next appointment slot opens up.

There is a medical reason, too. Many dangerous conditions, such as alcohol withdrawal delirium (delirium tremens) or a seizure, develop not on the first day but on the second or third day after abruptly stopping. If the doctor sees the person early, they can assess the risks and advise when it is safer for the team to come with an IV drip and when the person needs to go straight to hospital. An early conversation often prevents a middle-of-the-night emergency call in a critical condition.

How we help

Myths and facts

How a home visit works

1. Call or message usThe dispatcher answers 24/7 and in 3–5 minutes checks the person's condition, age, how long the drinking or use has lasted, chronic conditions and the address. No surname needed.
2. The doctor sets offAn addiction doctor or psychiatrist comes with equipment and medication. Travel time depends on the district — usually within an hour. If inpatient care or an ambulance is needed, we'll say so straight away.
3. Examination and treatmentBlood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation, blood sugar if needed and a neurological check. Then an IV drip or other treatment as indicated, 1–3 hours.
4. A plan for the next daysAdvice for the family on what to do overnight and tomorrow, phone follow-up and a repeat visit if needed.
5. Further treatmentCoding, psychotherapy, rehab or psychiatric follow-up — once the acute state has passed and the person is ready.

Prices in Almaty

The final cost is agreed before treatment starts. Prices are in tenge and do not constitute a public offer.

Where to get help

Narcology 24 in Almaty: our duty team makes home visits day and night, usually within an hour (all city districts and nearby settlements). Two branches for appointments and procedures — 84 Zhandosova St., Almaty and 21 Seyfullina Ave., office 11, Almaty. When indicated, we arrange admission and transport.

Confidential and private

in Almaty our doctor can come in ordinary clothes in an unmarked car. Treatment documents are given only to the patient. If you need a certificate or sick note, this is discussed separately and only at your request.

Questions and answers