Uzbekistan will begin the phased implementation of a National Cancer Control Program from 2027, with plans to increase palliative and hospice care coverage to 80% by 2030.
The proposals were presented to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during a briefing on improving the oncology and hematology care system. According to the plans, the coverage of targeted screenings for the most common cancers should rise to 60%, and the five-year patient survival rate should increase from the current 35% to at least 45%.
The national program was developed with the participation of the World Health Organization and international experts. It includes training for primary care physicians in early cancer detection, adoption of modern clinical guidelines, and a multidisciplinary approach to treatment.
Plans also include expanding early diagnosis programs and introducing an accelerated patient examination system for faster diagnosis. Special attention will be given to modernizing radiation therapy: outdated equipment will be replaced with modern linear accelerators, and high-dose brachytherapy capabilities will be expanded.
A separate set of proposals focuses on developing palliative and hospice care. From September 1, 2026, a unified system for providing such services based on the integration of medical and social support will be launched. All patient registration and monitoring processes will be digitized.
Mobile palliative care teams will be created in regions to serve patients at home, and the network of hospices will gradually expand nationwide. The interregional hospice in Tashkent will become a methodological center for palliative care development.
A pilot project for mobile palliative teams will be launched in the Mirzo-Ulugbek district of the capital. Additionally, a specialized hospice center for children with severe and incurable diseases will open in Samarkand region.
Patients enrolled in the electronic palliative care system will benefit from a simplified disability registration process without additional medical examinations. Those in need of home care will be able to receive functional beds and special mattresses through a voucher system.
The briefing also reviewed measures to develop hematology care. By 2030, the share of early detection of hematological and oncohematological diseases is planned to increase to 60%, and waiting times for transplantation will be reduced from six to three months. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation should also become available in the regions.
Support measures for medical and pharmaceutical workers in state institutions were discussed separately. Employees with at least 15 years of experience would receive partial compensation for their children's university tuition and part of the down payment on a mortgage.
The president approved the proposals and instructed to ensure their high-quality implementation, improve access to specialized medical care in the regions, and actively introduce modern diagnostic and treatment technologies.
Source: podrobno.uz