Uzbekistan’s medical services market reached 17.6 trillion soum in the first nine months of 2026, according to a report by AN Podrobno.uz. The figure rose by 14.2% year on year, with Tashkent accounting for 8 trillion soum — nearly half of the national total. The capital’s share is estimated at about 45%, almost matching the combined volume of all other regions. The data highlights both the expansion of healthcare demand and the persistent concentration of medical infrastructure and private providers in Tashkent, a key issue for the government’s healthcare reform agenda.
Key Takeaways: Medical services totaled 17.6 trillion soum in the first nine months of 2026, up 14.2% year on year. Tashkent accounted for 8 trillion soum, or roughly 45% of the national market. Other medical services made up 53.3%, hospitals 32.3%, and doctors and dentists 14.4%.
The growth comes as Uzbekistan continues to reform its healthcare sector, expand private clinics and laboratories, and allow state hospitals to outsource certain services to private companies. A larger market volume can reflect rising demand, new facilities and greater use of paid medical services, but the capital’s dominant share points to uneven regional access. Tashkent concentrates major hospitals, specialized staff and private medical centers, while some regions may still face gaps in quality and availability. For policymakers, the statistic is therefore not only an economic indicator but also a test of whether healthcare development is reaching beyond the capital. The reported breakdown by service type offers additional clues about where demand is strongest and where oversight may be needed.
According to the report, other medical services accounted for 53.3% of the total, hospitals for 32.3%, and services by doctors and dentists for 14.4%. These categories matter because they show how medical spending and service delivery are distributed across different parts of the system. The article also recalls that Uzbekistan plans to launch a unified medical outsourcing control system by April 1, 2027. The system is expected to track services transferred by state hospitals to private companies, improving transparency over contracts, volumes and quality. No direct official quotes were provided in the source report, and further details on the system’s mechanisms, responsible agencies and enforcement powers are expected in subsequent official announcements.
The next stage will require a closer look at whether the 14.2% increase reflects genuine improvements in access and quality or mainly higher prices and increased private provision. Tashkent’s roughly 45% share will remain a key measure of regional inequality in healthcare. The planned outsourcing control system, due by April 2027, could become an important tool for monitoring public-private arrangements and protecting patients’ interests. For now, the data underline a dual challenge for Uzbekistan: sustaining growth in medical services while ensuring that quality, transparency and availability are not limited to the capital.
Source: podrobno.uz