Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan has established the practice of holding round tables to identify problems and their solutions, as well as proposals from business entities in their industries.

In continuation of this tradition, on 16 July, a round table was held on the issues of providing the population with affordable and high-quality medicines, as well as studying the business environment and solving the main problems of the pharmaceutical industry.

On 21 April this year, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan held a meeting on the development of the pharmaceutical industry, at which he noted that our country annually consumes pharmaceutical products worth US$1.6 billion. The bulk of this volume—almost US$1.2 billion worth of products—is made up of imports. 

The indicators of production capacities in the regions are recognized as absolutely unsatisfactory. In Kashkadarya, Surkhandarya, Khorezm, Bukhara and Ferghana regions, local producers provide only 2-5 percent of regional consumption with their products.

In this regard, the meeting determined measures to study the demand for medicines and develop their production. In particular, 34 projects worth US$80 million are planned for the current year.

The event was opened by the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan D. Vakhabov, who called on those present to take an active part in identifying the problems of entrepreneurs in the pharmaceutical sector, as well as in formulating proposals.

The event was attended by the Commissioner under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan for the protection of the rights and legitimate interests of business entities D. Kasimov, First Deputy Chairman of the State Tax Committee M. Mirzaev, First Deputy Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade A. Voitov, Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Committee N. Musamukhamedov , Director of the Agency for the Development of the Pharmaceutical Industry S. Kariev, Chairman of the Board of the Dori-Darmon network U. Salikhova, as well as about 150 business entities involved in the export and import of medicines and medical products, as well as wholesale trade in our country.

About 140 pharmaceutical industry entrepreneurs from 14 regional departments of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry also took part in the event through a Zoom conference.

The main purpose of this event was to create a platform for open discussion with entrepreneurs of problems and search for constructive solutions in the industry.

Also, during the event, the experts discussed in detail all the aspects and problems that are associated with the launch of the labeling system for medicines and medical products.

At the end of the event, proposals from business entities on the identified problems were collected for generalization, analysis and presentation of information to higher organizations.