President Reviews Progress of Major Healthcare Investment Projects

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed progress on major investment projects focused on modernizing Uzbekistan’s healthcare system and expanding access to high-quality medical services.

A portfolio of 35 investment projects worth a total of $2.7 billion has been formed in the healthcare sector. The projects envisage the construction of new specialized centers and multidisciplinary hospitals, the modernization and advanced equipment of existing healthcare facilities and the training of highly qualified medical professionals.

It is important that the location, capacity and range of services provided by new and modernized healthcare facilities correspond to the needs of the population. The presentation focused on shaping investment projects on this basis, increasing private sector participation, and introducing new approaches to the management of medical institutions.

Plans include the construction of the National Oncology Centre, the Republican Neurology and Stroke Centre, a multidisciplinary medical center for adults in Tashkent Region, new hospitals in Kashkadarya Region and a Maternal and Child Health Centre in Nukus. Other initiatives include the launch of medical education programmes in Termez, the establishment of an 800-bed hospital in Samarkand under a public-private partnership model, and the creation of a multidisciplinary medical facility in Bukhara Region.

Information was presented on the progress of work being carried out within the framework of these projects.

In addition, proposals have been developed for nine prospective projects with a total value of $1 billion. These initiatives cover the development of neurology and stroke services, the expansion of pediatric oncology and hematology infrastructure, improvements to emergency medical care and its vehicle fleet, and the training of healthcare personnel. Some of these projects are currently at the conceptual stage and require further development.

In the future, investment attraction in the healthcare sector will be linked to the master plan for healthcare infrastructure development. On this basis, it was proposed to develop an investment strategy extending through 2040. Existing projects will first undergo a comprehensive review to assess their relevance and implementation potential. Projects aligned with the needs of individual regions will then be selected, and a unified portfolio together with investment passports will be prepared. The strategy will define priority areas for cooperation with private investors, international financial institutions and development partners.

Outsourcing was highlighted as an important mechanism for expanding private sector participation in healthcare. Under new regulations due to come into effect next year, healthcare institutions will be permitted to purchase certain medical and support services from private providers. The proposals envisage long-term contracts with service providers, predefined service volumes and quality standards, and performance assessment based on clear criteria. The objective is to increase the share of outsourced services in healthcare procurement to 30 per cent by 2030.

To ensure transparency, the introduction of a dedicated electronic Healthcare Outsourcing system is planned. The platform will maintain a unified registry of services, providers and contracts, while also tracking service volumes, quality indicators and payments. Integration with the public procurement system is also envisaged.

The issue of attracting professional managers to major medical institutions was also discussed. Plans call for their selection through open competition and the annual evaluation of their performance against established key indicators. By 2030, this management model is expected to be introduced in five major healthcare institutions.

The Head of State instructed the responsible officials to thoroughly develop the sector’s investment strategy and the proposed projects based on the healthcare master plan, as well as to accelerate the implementation of ongoing initiatives.