Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan plans to expand government purchases of medical services from private healthcare providers, including haemodialysis, laboratory testing, medical equipment sterilization, rehabilitation and physiotherapy.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced the initiative on 27 October during a meeting with healthcare and pharmaceutical industry workers, outlining measures to increase private sector participation in medical services and improve healthcare infrastructure planning.
According to the president, the number of private clinics in Uzbekistan has increased from 3,500 in 2017 to more than 9,000.
However, the development of private healthcare remains uneven across regions and medical specialties.
In Andijan, Ferghana, Namangan and Samarkand regions, as well as Tashkent, between 35% and 40% of private clinics have inpatient beds.
In Karakalpakstan and Syrdarya, Jizzakh and Navoi regions, the proportion remains below 15%.
Private providers account for 90% of dental services, 70% of diagnostic services and 60% of services in otolaryngology, urology and ophthalmology.
At the same time, private sector participation remains insufficient in medical rehabilitation, nephrology, oncology, neurosurgery, psychiatry, addiction treatment and maternity care.
Government hospitals to engage private companies
To increase business participation, Uzbekistan plans to introduce new outsourcing mechanisms and gradually expand the procurement of medical services from private providers.
Under the proposed arrangements, entrepreneurs would be allocated space in public hospitals to install modern medical equipment.
Private companies would then provide services directly within state healthcare facilities, with payments processed through the health insurance system.
Regional authorities are expected to publish information on demand for medical services and available financing arrangements, allowing potential investors to assess market opportunities and plan investments.
On 26 October, a day before the healthcare meeting, Mirziyoyev reviewed a draft resolution aimed at expanding private sector participation in healthcare.
The document proposes allowing medical service contracts of up to five years, replacing the current system of annual agreements.
Longer contracts are intended to give private companies greater certainty when investing in medical equipment and infrastructure, taking into account the time needed to recover their investments.
Under the proposed model, public healthcare institutions would purchase medical services, while private partners would finance the acquisition, operation and replacement of equipment.
The proposals also include standardized tender documentation, an electronic procurement system and the possibility of transferring the management of certain medical institutions to professional companies.
Mirziyoyev instructed officials to refine the proposals and ensure their phased implementation.
Land plots to be allocated for private clinics
To encourage investment in private healthcare, regional governors have been instructed to identify and publish lists of land plots designated for private clinic construction each year.
The plots will be offered through auctions exclusively for the development of healthcare facilities, with preferential terms for investors.
Specific details of the proposed incentives and land allocation procedures have not yet been announced.
Healthcare infrastructure to be developed under master plans
The president also emphasized the need to consider population size and geographic distribution when planning new healthcare facilities.
He said population growth and the construction of new cities and residential developments required long-term infrastructure planning.
Without such planning, some areas could face hospital shortages while existing facilities in other locations remain underutilized.
"Therefore, from now on, new healthcare facilities will be developed based on master plans, taking into account population size and geographic distribution," Mirziyoyev said.
On 26 October, the president was briefed on the results of an inventory of healthcare infrastructure in ten regions.
The assessment identified 3,499 healthcare facilities, 494 more than were recorded in the Cadastral Agency's data.
Officials proposed completing the inventory across all regions, preparing electronic records for individual facilities and establishing a unified digital register of healthcare properties.
The master plans are intended to ensure more efficient distribution of medical institutions and improve public access to healthcare services.
Mirziyoyev had previously called for a review of the pricing of services provided by public healthcare institutions.
Under the proposed approach, if private clinics offer comparable services at lower prices and higher quality, health insurance funds could be directed toward those providers.
Existing rules governing publicly funded medical care at state and private institutions provide for electronic referrals containing QR codes for planned inpatient treatment.
This mechanism allows patients to choose between public and private healthcare facilities when receiving medical services under the applicable referral system.
