Uzbekistan’s recently adopted Development Strategy of New Uzbekistan 2022-2026 sets out ambitious objectives including increasing the country’s GDP by 1.6 times and qualifying as an upper-middle income country by 2030.
Ensuring better health for the country’s 35 million citizens also features heavily in the strategy as expressed through some 20 laws. And Article 48 of the constitution stipulates that all citizens have the right to receive a guaranteed volume of medical care at the State’s expense.
The Members of the Oliy Majlis (the national parliament) work closely with the Government to put in place legislation that adheres to good international practices and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
According to the Parliament, guaranteed medical care provided to the population includes emergency care, primary health care for several infectious diseases, and specialized treatment for diseases with an elevated risk of mortality. Around 120 types of medicines are freely provided to each citizen. In national specialized medical research centres, many diseases are treated free of charge, with standard treatment provided based on an electronic waiting list. The system also allocates funds to individual patients rather than hospitals.
In 2023, the Oliy Majlis voted for a budget that injected billions of dollars into the medial sector, more than five times the provision in the 2016 budget. In recent years, funds allocated to provide hospitals and emergency services with medicines and medical supplies have increased significantly; for example, cancer patients now receive special medications free of charge.
According to the Parliament, despite ongoing challenges including training, service quality, corruption, social stigma and financial barriers, access to medical services for mothers and children has improved. Neonatal clinics provide specialized and high-tech medical care in the postpartum period, with the goal of decreasing high regional rates of maternal and infant mortality in the country. Uzbekistan plans to train 8,500 midwives based on best international practices.
Prevention is also an important part of public health, and the country therefore provides children and pregnant and breast-feeding women with vitamin and mineral supplements free of charge. Targeted screening activities are also important, with examinations of women being organized for early detection of cancers such as breast and cervical cancer. Primary health care institutions provide women-only consultations, multidisciplinary clinics offer perinatal screening, and regional multidisciplinary children’s centres host specialist girls’ health centres.
This case study is adapted from information sent to the IPU by the Oliy Majlis. The IPU has not been able to verify all the information that it received.
