Uzbekistan General Information - Health care

There is a developed system of medical services rendered to population in Uzbekistan. There are about 1,200 hospitals and 3,000 ambulance stations in Uzbekistan. The qualified staff of more than 81,000 doctors currently works in the country. Uzbekistan is among the leading countries with a high doctor to patient ratio.

The Ministry of Health supervises public health services. The ministry has several branches in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, all provinces of Uzbekistan and in cities across the country. The Federation of Labor Unions, "For healthy generation" Foundation, the Red Crescent Association, the "Health and Mercy" Foundation, the Foundation for Disabled, and others also actively participate in the development of public health services.

The basic direction of public health services in the republic is disease prevention activities. In the last years special attention has been paid to such activity, as well as establishment and expansion of ambulatory prophylactic institutions.

There is a Republican center "Diagnostics" operates in Tashkent, the Uzbek capital.

A large attention is paid towards clinical examination of the population as well as improving decease prevention services of the center. The Republican center "Health" plays an important role in propagation of sanitary and hygiene awareness among public.

Due to the fact that Uzbekistan has a very high birth rate and significant part of the population are children, the protection of the motherhood and childhood is one of the main directions of the public health care in the country. Branches, protecting and rendering specialized help to motherhood, are now extending. Currently there are more than 110 female advice centers and more than 1,800 children's clinics.

There is a special program "Soglom Avlod Uchun" ("For the Healthy Generation") in Uzbekistan. For the special merits in safeguarding the childhood, creation of material conditions and moral climate in the education of the young generation, the state has introduced several awards such as I and II degree medals "Soglom Avlod Uchun".

In management of public health services the priority is given to further extend the current reforms, strengthening the material base of public health services, and creation of the market of medical services. A privatization of medical establishments in the country is under way.

Many doctors have licenses for employment as a private medical doctor. There are several private health organizations nationwide.

The realization of the Development program of the social infrastructure in the countryside strengthens the material base of primary health services in rural areas. Medical attendant and obstetrical centers are reorganized to village medical stations.

The realization and structural differentiation of the medical aid with reorientation of doctors to other specialties in the field are under way.

There is a National Center for Rehabilitation of Disabled operating at the National Research Institute of Uzbekistan. Medical stations were established in almost every province of the country that offer the first aid to the lonely and elderly.

Thanks to aforementioned measures, the basic health of the population is well improved. Decrease In the death rate is one of the major achievements in the field. There is a notable decline in the child death rate. These and other positive shifts in the public healthcare promote growth of life expectancy in the country in general.