President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has announced a new system to improve the quality of primary healthcare services in Uzbekistan, according to the presidential press service.
It was emphasized that nearly two years of preparation went into the reforms discussed at today's meeting, and experts from leading international medical centers were involved.
“If we properly establish the foundation of primary care, digitalization, and insurance, improve the knowledge and practical skills of medical personnel, and – most importantly – raise the population’s medical literacy, we will achieve our intended goals,” the president said.
The new system was explained in detail using the example of a polyclinic in the Ishtikhon district.
The “Uzbekistan” polyclinic in Ishtikhon serves seven neighborhoods. However, six family doctors are filling nine positions and are unable to manage the workload. Six doctor positions remain vacant. A guaranteed healthcare package was approved without proper consideration, resulting in the inclusion of 90 types of medications, less than half of which are actually available at the clinic. Furthermore, the polyclinic’s lab results are not recognized by any hospital.
Although most consultations are related to pediatric illnesses, family doctors lack sufficient training to fully perform pediatric duties. For 9,000 women of reproductive age, there is only a 1.5-staff allocation for gynecologists.
Thirty-five percent of the population suffers from chronic diseases such as cardiovascular issues, diabetes, and gastrointestinal disorders. Yet the work of medical teams on early diagnosis, prevention, and management of complications remains invisible. Therefore, the system will undergo major changes.
A new mechanism will require a bilateral agreement between the medical team and the population it serves, defining mutual rights and responsibilities. Citizens will be able to freely choose their family doctor, and private family physicians will also be included in the process.
The guaranteed healthcare package will be formally approved, and services and medications within it will be fully covered by the state budget. Additionally, the number of obstetricians and gynecologists at polyclinics will be doubled. One pediatrician position will be introduced for every 3,000 children.
Part-time and quarter-time contracts will be eliminated in the primary healthcare system. All doctors and nurses will work full-time. The network of family doctor points, local clinics, and family polyclinics across the district will be optimized. Seven large polyclinics will be established to serve over 12,000 people each, and the remaining 27 will be reorganized into smaller clinics.
