President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev met a group of leading healthcare specialists on 5 January 2017.

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev met a group of leading healthcare specialists on 5 January 2017.

The meeting, conducted via videoconferencing, was attended by the members of the Government, senators, khokims of regions, heads of ministries and agencies, state and public organizations, rectors of medical higher educational institutions, healthcare professionals.

- Healthcare reforms is one of the main areas of state policy, Shavkat Mirziyoyev said. A particular attention is paid in our country to further improving the healthcare system, stimulating the work of medical workers, wide introduction of modern technologies and treatment methods.

The systemic work, carried out under the leadership of First President of our country Islam Karimov on increasing the level and the quality of life of people, protection of motherhood and childhood, upbringing healthy, harmoniously developed generation, increasing the quality of medical services, is steadily continued. As a result of the wide-scale reforms, carried out in the years of independence, the national healthcare system has been cardinally transformed. The Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On citizens’ healthcare” guarantees provision of quality medical services to the population.

A particular attention is paid to revering the representatives of this profession, motivating their hard work. The decree of the First President of our country “On state program of reforming the healthcare system of the Republic of Uzbekistan”, adopted on 10 November 1998, has served as an important factor in creating a united system of mother and child protection, meeting modern requirements and ensuring provision of qualified medical aid in all regions of the country. In accordance with this document, a modern system of medical services on providing the first medical aid has been created in our country, which has included rural medical units and city family policlinics.

At present, high-quality medical services are provided at specialized scientific-practical centres of cardiology, surgery, eye microsurgery, urology, therapy and medical rehabilitation, endocrinology, pulmonology and phlebology, obstetrics and gynaecology, dermatology and venereology, paediatrics and others. Around 50 thousand highly technological complex surgeries are carried out at these medical establishments, over 600 thousand patients are provided outpatient services. As a result of topical scientific studies in over twenty spheres of medicine, over 1000 diagnostic and treatment standards have been developed.

In 2016, announced as the Year of healthy mother and a child, loans and grant funds in the amount of 80 million US dollars were directed towards equipping the country's health institutions with modern diagnostic and medical equipment, women of childbearing age and children underwent medical examinations and health recreation. Over 350 children with hearing problems were conducted a cochlear implant surgery at the republican specialized scientific and practical medical centre of paediatrics. 700,000 children were vaccinated against pneumococcal disease and other infectious diseases.

But life is constantly changing, the demands of people are increasing. The medical culture of the people, their demand for medical services with up-to-date methods is rising. Gone are the days when people were content with only what is available. This, along with all spheres, also directly applies to medicine, the President of our country said. Therefore, professionals in the field have to learn the most advanced, modern achievements of world medicine, methods of treatments. Complacency is a serious obstacle to further development.

Announcement of 2017 as the Year of Dialogue with the people and human interests has a deep meaning. After all, human interests include health issues, the availability of full access to modern health services.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev at his campaign meetings had emphasized the need to engage in direct dialogue with the people, to learn about the issues of concern to citizens, to listen to their opinions and suggestions. The population has many actual problems in this area, which is also confirmed by the fact that more than 7000 requests and applications to the virtual reception of the Prime Minister are related to healthcare and medicine. People’s applications, their views and suggestions necessitate further improvements in this sphere.

Our President elaborated on the forthcoming work in this area, the problems, waiting for their solution. The issues relating to the activities of rural medical stations have been highlighted. Currently, rural medical centres are adequately equipped with means of laboratory testing, diagnostic aids for primary medical examination. However, we cannot deny the shortage of trained professionals, who know how to use this modern medical equipment, and residents of some remote areas need to go to the district or regional centre in order to just take a blood test.

In some places, health check-ups are carried out formally, the President of our country continued. The shortage of qualified professionals in remote areas suggests that much remains to be done to address the staffing issue.

Rural health units have to work around the clock. To this end, it is necessary to build an adjacent house for a doctor, working at the rural health unit.

A number of measures, aimed at improving the provision of emergency medical assistance to the population, have been adopted. But we cannot say that today our people are satisfied with the quality of these services. A fundamental change of the system is the imperative of our time.

The meeting critically considered the work on execution of the decision of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On measures to further improve the provision of population with medications and medical products" from October 31, 2016.

It is necessary to organize separate clinics for girls and women, the Head of our state said. The birth of a healthy generation, future owners of our day, depends largely on the health of women.

When it comes to health, we have to remember one truth: medical professionals are guardians of our health. People must trust them, and they have to win the trust of the people, Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized.

A lot of problems, waiting for their solution, concern specialized medical centres. All existing centres are located in Tashkent. This creates disadvantages for the rural population. Professionals from specialized medical centres should visit the regions and provide medical services to people on the ground, carry out surgeries, said the President of our country.

At the meeting, the responsible officials were given specific instructions concerning the further development of healthcare, improving the level and quality of medical services in accordance with international standards, widespread introduction of advanced educational technologies in the training of young professionals, further expanding cooperation with leading medical centres and educational institutions of the world, well-known scientists and experts, and other relevant issues.

Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan, minister of health A.Ikramov, first deputy minister of health A.Hojiboev, deputy ministers of health E.Basitkhanova, S.Saidaliev, director of the republican specialised centre of urology F.Akilov, director of specialised scientific and practical centre of therapy and medical rehabilitation A.Alyavi, director of the republican scientific centre of immunology T.Aripova, senator Z.Nizomhujaev, chairwoman of the “Soglom avlod uchun” international charity fund S.Inamova, chairman of Jokargi Kenes of the Republic of Karakalpakstan M.Erniyazov, khokim of Andijon region Sh.Abdurakhmonov, khokim of Bukhara region U.Barnoev and others noted that a particular attention, paid by the President of our country to the healthcare sphere, has an important significance for its development, a systemic work will be conducted taking into account the conclusions from the expressed critical notes and they will employ all forces and possibilities to eliminate the shortcomings and to solve the urgent tasks in the sphere.