Measures to develop medical infrastructure and expand private sector participation in the healthcare industry have been reviewed
Uzbekistan
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev examined a presentation on developing medical infrastructure based on a unified master plan and expanding private sector involvement in the healthcare system.
The siting, construction, and equipping of medical facilities must be planned with the needs of the population in mind. Currently, in several regions, services are organized in a fragmented manner, hospital bed capacity is distributed inefficiently, and the use of outdated buildings and equipment negatively impacts the quality of medical care.
The initiative will begin with the compilation of accurate data on existing facilities. An inventory conducted in ten regions identified 3,499 healthcare facilities—494 more than what was recorded in the Cadastre Agency’s database. It has been proposed to complete this inventory across all regions, create electronic profiles for each facility, and establish a unified digital registry of real estate within the healthcare system.
Based on this data, the implementation of master plans for medical infrastructure development for the 2026–2036 period was discussed. For each region, factors such as population size and growth, demand for medical services, facility capacity, and the time required for patients to reach these facilities will be taken into account. The master plan will determine which facilities should be retained, consolidated, or renovated; where new ones should be built; how they should be equipped; and the number of specialists required. Investment programs will also be developed based on these plans.
Healthcare facilities will be interconnected according to the level of care they provide. Complex, high-tech services will be concentrated in hub centers, while basic and emergency medical care will remain available at the district level. Specific service standards will be applied when planning primary healthcare for rural and remote areas, as well as for cities.
The necessity of this approach is illustrated by the example of the Samarkand region. Eighty percent of the population resides in the districts, yet these areas account for only 41.7 percent of available hospital beds. The master plan outlines a reorganization of medical zones, aiming to increase the share of hospital beds located in the districts to 67 percent, thereby bringing healthcare services closer to the population.
Plans have been presented for the construction of new hospitals and the renovation of existing facilities in Samarkand, Urgut, Pastdargom, Kattakurgan, Ishtykhan, and Payaryk. It is proposed that specialized medical institutions in the regional center be reorganized and integrated into multidisciplinary hospitals, alongside the development of central laboratories, sterilization services, and diagnostic facilities. By 2030, a total of 1,500 new hospital beds are to be established across Urgut, Kattakurgan, and Pastdargom.
It was emphasized that the creation of new facilities should not be limited to the mere construction of buildings. The proposal includes the implementation of unified design standards for polyclinics and hospitals—ensuring efficient patient flow, robust infection control, an inclusive environment, and appropriate facility equipment. Furthermore, there are plans to adapt international clinical protocols to the national context, implement them in medical practice, and regularly evaluate the outcomes.
A draft resolution regarding the expansion of private sector participation in the healthcare system was also reviewed. It proposes the outsourcing of medical and support services—such as hemodialysis, laboratory testing, diagnostic services, and equipment maintenance—to private providers. By utilizing cooperation agreements with terms of up to five years, rather than standard one-year contracts, private partners will be better positioned to make long-term investments in equipment and services.
Under this model, the public medical institution procures the service, while the private entity—at its own expense—acquires the necessary equipment and ensures its ongoing operation and modernization. The possibilities of introducing standardized tender documents and an electronic procurement system, as well as transferring the management of certain institutions to professional firms, were examined.
The Head of State instructed the relevant officials to thoroughly refine the proposals presented and to implement them in practice on a phased basis.
The initiative will begin with the compilation of accurate data on existing facilities. An inventory conducted in ten regions identified 3,499 healthcare facilities—494 more than what was recorded in the Cadastre Agency’s database. It has been proposed to complete this inventory across all regions, create electronic profiles for each facility, and establish a unified digital registry of real estate within the healthcare system.
Based on this data, the implementation of master plans for medical infrastructure development for the 2026–2036 period was discussed. For each region, factors such as population size and growth, demand for medical services, facility capacity, and the time required for patients to reach these facilities will be taken into account. The master plan will determine which facilities should be retained, consolidated, or renovated; where new ones should be built; how they should be equipped; and the number of specialists required. Investment programs will also be developed based on these plans.
Healthcare facilities will be interconnected according to the level of care they provide. Complex, high-tech services will be concentrated in hub centers, while basic and emergency medical care will remain available at the district level. Specific service standards will be applied when planning primary healthcare for rural and remote areas, as well as for cities.
The necessity of this approach is illustrated by the example of the Samarkand region. Eighty percent of the population resides in the districts, yet these areas account for only 41.7 percent of available hospital beds. The master plan outlines a reorganization of medical zones, aiming to increase the share of hospital beds located in the districts to 67 percent, thereby bringing healthcare services closer to the population.
Plans have been presented for the construction of new hospitals and the renovation of existing facilities in Samarkand, Urgut, Pastdargom, Kattakurgan, Ishtykhan, and Payaryk. It is proposed that specialized medical institutions in the regional center be reorganized and integrated into multidisciplinary hospitals, alongside the development of central laboratories, sterilization services, and diagnostic facilities. By 2030, a total of 1,500 new hospital beds are to be established across Urgut, Kattakurgan, and Pastdargom.
It was emphasized that the creation of new facilities should not be limited to the mere construction of buildings. The proposal includes the implementation of unified design standards for polyclinics and hospitals—ensuring efficient patient flow, robust infection control, an inclusive environment, and appropriate facility equipment. Furthermore, there are plans to adapt international clinical protocols to the national context, implement them in medical practice, and regularly evaluate the outcomes.
A draft resolution regarding the expansion of private sector participation in the healthcare system was also reviewed. It proposes the outsourcing of medical and support services—such as hemodialysis, laboratory testing, diagnostic services, and equipment maintenance—to private providers. By utilizing cooperation agreements with terms of up to five years, rather than standard one-year contracts, private partners will be better positioned to make long-term investments in equipment and services.
Under this model, the public medical institution procures the service, while the private entity—at its own expense—acquires the necessary equipment and ensures its ongoing operation and modernization. The possibilities of introducing standardized tender documents and an electronic procurement system, as well as transferring the management of certain institutions to professional firms, were examined.
The Head of State instructed the relevant officials to thoroughly refine the proposals presented and to implement them in practice on a phased basis.
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