Uzbekistan to tighten oversight of medical clinics and introduce new accreditation requirements

According to the presidential decree "On additional measures to improve the quality of services provided in the healthcare sector," more than 3,000 state medical institutions must be brought into compliance with licensing requirements by 2030. These unified standards will be applied equally to both public and private clinics to ensure a consistent level of care across the country.

Starting July 1, 2026, licensing functions will be transferred to the Licensing and Accreditation Center under the Ministry of Health. This center will be responsible for issuing licenses and monitoring compliance with established requirements. Furthermore, a mandatory condition is being introduced requiring every medical organization to maintain an internal structure dedicated to monitoring the quality of its medical services.

Digital transformation is a cornerstone of this reform. By April 1, 2027, all clinics must integrate their information systems into the "Digital Healthcare" platform at no cost, adhering to unified standards. This integration will allow the Center to remotely monitor service quality and track adherence to licensing conditions in real time.

A critical restriction will take effect on April 1, 2028: state entities will be prohibited from purchasing medical services from any clinic that has not obtained national or international accreditation, including ISQua certification. To ensure a smooth transition, the government has set a clear timeline for the mandatory licensing of state institutions:

• Republic-level institutions must be licensed by April 1, 2027;
• Regional-level clinics by the end of 2028;
• District and city-level facilities by the conclusion of 2030.

The reform plan includes the introduction of at least 75 national accreditation standards and the digitization of all quality control processes. Interestingly, the responsibility for accrediting medical organizations will not rest solely with state bodies; accredited non-governmental non-profit organizations will also be permitted to perform these evaluations.

Supervision of clinics will also be intensified. A new rule requires the mandatory notification of the Business Ombudsman within 24 hours regarding any inspections. Notably, previous restrictions on re-inspecting periods that have already been audited will be removed to ensure thorough compliance.

To support the implementation of these reforms, the government is allocating UZS 20 billion to the Licensing and Accreditation Center. These funds will facilitate staff training abroad and the recruitment of international experts. Additionally, urban planning and sanitary norms for the design and construction of medical facilities will be revised to align with international requirements.