Cancer patients in Tashkent have raised serious concerns over a heavily complicated process for obtaining subsidized treatment referrals, known as orders. According to multiple testimonials, the rushed implementation of a new electronic healthcare system has caused major bottlenecks, leaving vulnerable patients stranded between various medical institutions.

Earlier reports on social media suggested that free services at the Republican Specialized Scientific and Practical Medical Center of Oncology and Radiology had been suspended. The center's administration refuted these claims, explaining that the referral pathway had merely been shifted to the Digital Medical Ecosystem (DMED) for Tashkent residents as well, aiming to filter out unnecessary preliminary examinations that previously strained the specialized facility.

However, the transition has translated into a grueling ordeal for patients. Testimonials from individuals undergoing aggressive cancer treatments reveal a frustrating cycle of visits between local policlinics, district health departments, and the oncology center. Due to insufficient practical training among general practitioners and a lack of standardized operational guidelines, patients are forced to navigate a confusing bureaucratic labyrinth while battling life-threatening illnesses.

Affected citizens and advocates are urging healthcare authorities to step in, provide comprehensive training for medical staff, and streamline inter-agency cooperation. Critics emphasize that modernization efforts should not place the heavy burden of organizational failures onto the shoulders of patients whose survival depends entirely on timely medical intervention.

Source: www.gazeta.uz