Deputies of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis raised the issue of introducing a state health insurance system during a plenary session on June 3, as they discussed the execution of the 2025 state budget.
Zuhriddin Mavlonov, a deputy from the Adolat Social Democratic Party faction, noted that the system is being introduced to provide the population with quality and guaranteed medical services. However, according to him, during meetings with voters in the regions, the most complaints concern the provision of medicines.
“When deputies go to the regions and hold meetings with voters, the most objections arise over the issue of purchasing medicines,” he said.
The deputy recalled that in May, at a selector meeting chaired by the president, this sector was also criticized. Then, tasks were set for targeted use of funds, digitalization of the system, and further development of medical services for the population.
According to the report, of the 43 trillion soums allocated for healthcare in 2025, 22 trillion soums were directed to medical insurance, the deputy said.
In this regard, Mavlonov addressed two questions. Deputy Minister of Health Sherzod Mukhamedov stated that consistent work is underway to introduce the health insurance system in the country. He emphasized that when assessing the timing of the reform, the experience of developed countries must be taken into account.
“When studying the experience of foreign, i.e., developed countries, we can see that even these developed countries took 10-20 years to fully transition to a health insurance system,” he said.
Mukhamedov cited Turkey as an example, where the health insurance fund began to be introduced in 2003. According to him, in Japan such processes have been ongoing for about 40 years, and in South Korea it took 12 years to fully cover the healthcare system with medical insurance.
“Taking this into account, our country has also defined phased work for the transition to a health insurance system, and today we are working to increase the level of full coverage with medical insurance,” the deputy minister said.
According to Mukhamedov, the ultimate goal of the reform is to create a system where funds are tied to citizens, not to medical institutions.
“Through full digitalization of the healthcare system, the final result is defined as creating a system where funds follow citizens, not medical institutions,” he said.
The deputy minister indicated that Uzbekistan could transition to such a system “in the coming years.”
Commenting on the proposal of the Accounts Chamber to change the financing management scheme of the State Medical Insurance Fund, Mukhamedov said that this issue is being developed jointly with the Accounts Chamber and international financial institutions.
“As for the recommendations of the Accounts Chamber, yes, the Accounts Chamber, together with international financial institutions, is working to develop this system. And we will discuss these proposals in the government when considering the draft budget for next year, and we hope to implement this system in consultation with you,” the deputy minister said.
Earlier, in his report on budget execution, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Jamshid Kuchkarov announced that 43.3 trillion soums had been allocated for healthcare in 2025.
According to him, a new system of primary health care has been piloted in 15 districts. 368 billion soums were allocated for current repairs, digitalization, equipment, and strengthening the material and technical base of these institutions.
Kuchkarov also noted that the State Medical Insurance Fund contributes to the development of private medical institutions. The number of private clinics providing services under contract through the fund increased from 49 in 2024 to 86 in 2025.
In May 2025, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev criticized the delay in introducing the health insurance system. At that time, the “Electronic Prescription,” “Electronic Polyclinic,” and “Electronic Hospital” systems had not been launched. Two deputy health ministers were dismissed, and another received a warning.
In May of this year, Eldor Adilov, who previously served as head of the sector of the Department of Legal Expertise and Comprehensive Analysis of the Presidential Administration, was appointed Minister of Health of Uzbekistan. Asilbek Khudayarov was dismissed from the post of minister due to a transfer to another job, but his new position has not yet been announced.
Source: www.gazeta.uz