Uzbekistan and World Bank Discuss Phased Implementation of State Health Insurance System

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 22 January, Otabek Fozilkarimov, Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan, held a meeting with representatives of the World Bank to discuss the formation and phased development of a state medical insurance system.

The meeting involved responsible officials from relevant ministries and agencies, as well as international experts participating online.

During the discussion, it was noted that further improvement of the national healthcare system must consider macroeconomic stability, demographic trends, and labor market characteristics. Particular attention was given to ensuring a balanced interaction between economic and social factors in implementing the medical insurance mechanism.

World Bank representatives highlighted the importance of efficient resource use, expanding financial protection mechanisms for the population, and improving access to medical services. Approaches to forming a balanced structure of healthcare expenditures and gradually strengthening the government’s role in ensuring system sustainability were also discussed.

It was emphasized that the key objectives of the state medical insurance system are expanding population access to medical care and ensuring its financial sustainability. This requires clearly defining financing approaches, coverage levels, the range of medical services, and developing transparent payment and information systems necessary for an effective medical insurance model.

Following the meeting, the World Bank representatives confirmed their readiness to study the government’s approach to healthcare financing reform in detail and expressed their intention to provide analytical and technical support in creating and implementing the state medical insurance system.