New healthcare standards to be introduced, support for doctors to be strengthened

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with healthcare and pharmaceutical workers at the Kuksaroy residence.

The Head of State congratulated the participants on their upcoming professional holiday and thanked them for their dedicated work to protect people's health.

"To live in a happy family, work honestly, achieve one's goals, and lead a meaningful life, a person needs, first and foremost, good health. That is why we have made protecting human health one of the key priorities of our reforms," the President said.

Over the past ten years, new outpatient clinics and hospitals designed to serve 10 million people have been commissioned, and 58,000 hospital beds have been added. With the expansion of modern medical facilities and the private healthcare sector, the volume of medical services has tripled. Today, Uzbekistan provides more than 100 types of medical services that were previously available only abroad, including treatment for congenital heart defects, organ transplants, robotic surgery, and highly complex neurosurgical procedures.

The country has set a goal of meeting 70 percent of its demand for pharmaceutical products through domestic production. In recent years, 330 new pharmaceutical facilities worth a total of $1 billion have been commissioned. Pharmaceutical free economic zones have been established in the regions, where projects worth $1.2 billion are being implemented.

The President emphasized that more than 800,000 healthcare and pharmaceutical workers are contributing to these transformations. A decree was recently signed awarding state honors to a group of industry representatives. During the meeting, the Head of State presented them with orders and medals.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev proposed establishing the Ibn Sino Order to recognize medical workers who set an example in protecting people's health and introducing advanced scientific developments and modern treatment methods.

During the meeting, special attention was paid to improving the quality of primary healthcare.

Under the new system piloted in 28 districts, 7 million residents have been assigned to family doctors. Laboratories have been launched, doctors and nurses trained, and procedures established for patients to receive medical care. Under the guaranteed package of medical services, outpatients receive 69 types of medicines free of charge. Starting next year, this model will be introduced in another 100 districts.

Efforts to prevent and detect diseases at an early stage will also be expanded. Screening for stomach, colorectal, prostate, and lung cancer will begin in Samarkand and, starting from 2028, will be introduced across all regions of the country. Programs for the early detection of diabetes, tuberculosis, cardiovascular diseases, cancers in women, and blood cancers in children will continue.

As a result of implementing an early detection and treatment program for heart attacks and strokes in five regions, early-stage mortality from these conditions decreased by 15 percent over five months. By providing medical care within the "golden hour" after the onset of symptoms, 855 people were saved from premature death and disability.

Next year, the program will be extended to all districts and cities across the country. The number of medicines provided free of charge will increase to 73, while the number of medical examinations will rise to 36.

The Medical Standards of New Uzbekistan will be introduced, covering medical education, construction, sanitation and hygiene, patient safety, and professional conduct. Primary healthcare workers will gradually receive free medical uniforms.

The practice of rewarding the best doctors and nurses will also be expanded. Fourteen doctors who won the regional stage of the competition will receive electric vehicles. The authors of the ten best projects promoting a healthy lifestyle will each receive grants of 200 million soums.

The President noted that the quality of medical services depends first and foremost on the level of staff training.

"No matter how many modern clinics we build or how much cutting-edge equipment we install, there will be no results without qualified specialists," the President emphasized.

Currently, 15,000 doctors are trained annually at 11 state universities. Starting next year, students will spend three days a week working with patients, while final-year students will devote the entire academic year to practical training at medical institutions.

Nurses with bachelor's degrees will receive an additional monthly allowance of 1.5 million soums, while those with master's degrees will receive 2.5 million soums. Starting from 2027, residency training in specialized medical fields will be free of charge.

The private sector will also be involved in the professional development of healthcare workers. The state will cover the cost of training employees of primary healthcare facilities and district-level medical institutions. Starting July 1 next year, a state registration system for medical and pharmaceutical workers will be introduced, initially on a voluntary basis. Registration will become mandatory in 2030. Registered doctors, pharmacists, and nurses will receive additional allowances.

New medical institutions will be established based on master plans that take into account population size and the geographical location of settlements. Entrepreneurs will be allocated space in public hospitals to install modern equipment, with their services paid for through the health insurance system. The practice of purchasing hemodialysis, laboratory diagnostics, sterilization, rehabilitation, and physiotherapy services from the private sector will also be expanded.

The goal for next year is to attract at least $150 million in investment and grants to each region.

The Head of State emphasized the need to protect human rights in medical research amid advances in genomics, cellular technologies, and biotechnology.

"In research related to human life and health, human rights, consent, and dignity must come first," the President said.

To this end, the legal framework for bioethics and biotechnology will be strengthened. In cooperation with Harvard Medical School, specialists in hereditary diseases will be trained, and genetic testing will be introduced.

To bring the expertise of specialized medical centers to the regions, multidisciplinary medical teams comprising surgeons, anesthesiologists, intensive care specialists, assistants, and nurses will be deployed there. In turn, medical teams from the regions will undergo three- to four-month internships at specialized centers.

Starting next year, annual contracts will be concluded with the directors of 26 specialized medical centers. Their performance will be evaluated based on the introduction of innovations in their respective fields, professional development of primary healthcare workers, and the practical application of scientific research. A mechanism will also be introduced allowing the public to evaluate the performance of hospitals and clinics. Public satisfaction with the quality of medical services will become the main criterion for determining the salaries of doctors and nurses.

Starting next year, ten artificial intelligence systems will be introduced in such fields as cardiology, hepatology, ophthalmology, and hematology.

The President emphasized the need to strengthen the role of medical associations and introduce a system under which their heads are elected by members for terms of two to three years.

Social support measures for healthcare workers were also announced at the meeting. Fifty billion soums has been allocated to partially repay mortgage loans for employees who have worked in the sector for at least 15 years. This will enable 1,000 healthcare workers to move into new homes next year. The state will also cover 25 percent of the mortgage down payment for 500 young specialists each year. The monthly additional allowance for doctors working in remote areas will be increased to 4.5 million soums. They will also receive a one-time payment of 50 million soums.

A new system will also be introduced to attract Uzbek doctors with experience at foreign clinics back to the country. They will receive a monthly allowance of up to 50 million soums, and conditions will be created for them to set up their workplaces. They will also have the opportunity to work with modern equipment and independently select a team of specialists.

During the meeting, healthcare and pharmaceutical workers presented their proposals and initiatives. Responsible officials were instructed to implement the tasks outlined and work jointly on the proposals put forward.

"I ask only one thing: that every healthcare worker ask themselves, 'What was I able to do better today than yesterday for people's health?' If each of us works every day to find an answer to this question, it will lead to major changes both in the healthcare system and in the health of our people," the President said in conclusion.