Translated with AI
Starting in 2026, Uzbekistan will introduce a new system for managing healthcare institutions. Under this system, the positions of chief physician and director will be separated, and entrepreneurs with managerial training and proven results will be appointed to leadership positions, announced President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. This was reported by Fergana.ru, citing his press service.
The new regulation will apply to the directors of 26 specialized centers, heads of regional and district healthcare departments, and heads of family clinics. These directors will work according to specific monthly plans and are required to travel to the most problematic areas and mahallas, where they will spend a month studying the causes of the outbreak, proposing solutions, and training specialists in new treatment methods.
The incentive system will change. The best regional and district medical institutions and heads of family clinics will be awarded the title of "Honored Healthcare Worker of Uzbekistan," receive orders and medals, and receive cash bonuses of 30 million soums ($2,500). Hospitals headed by outstanding employees will each receive 500 million soums ($41,500) to improve their infrastructure.
In addition, the two best managers from each region—the district department and the family clinic—will receive the right to study management abroad: in the USA, Germany, Great Britain, South Korea, and Turkey.
The President emphasized that over the past five years, 7.5 trillion soums (over $623 million) have been allocated to specialized medical centers, which are equipped with thousands of pieces of modern equipment, but only 25% of this equipment is being utilized. Therefore, he emphasized the need to establish clear prevention and treatment plans and the effective use of expensive equipment.
Reforms will also affect the medical education system. Starting next academic year, specialized universities will open general medicine departments combining pediatrics and general medicine, and will also launch residency and master's programs in family medicine. Residency students will study for free while simultaneously working as family physicians, and upon receiving their specialized diplomas, they will receive a 150% salary bonus.
Particular attention will be paid to the training of nurses. The Nursing Academy will be transferred to the Tashkent State Medical University, and a Higher Academy of Occupational Medicine will be established on its basis. Universities will introduce a "higher nursing" program, and certified specialists will receive a 100% salary bonus.
The President announced continued support for the private sector. From 2026, incentives for the import of medical equipment and ambulances will be extended, the VAT refund system will be extended to private medical centers, and entrepreneurs will be provided with a $200 million preferential credit line.
"I consider the white coat not just a symbol of the profession, but a sign of boundless devotion to the Motherland. We will continue to protect the honor and dignity of every medical worker and create dignified conditions for them," Mirziyoyev emphasized.
