TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, January 23. Uzbekistan and the World Bank have discussed the formation and phased development of a state medical insurance system in the country, Trend reports via the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan.
The issue was reviewed during a meeting between Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance Otabek Fozilkarimov and World Bank representatives.
The sides emphasized the importance of accounting for macroeconomic stability, demographic trends, and labor market characteristics in further strengthening the healthcare system, with particular attention to balancing economic and social factors in the introduction of medical insurance.
Discussions also focused on healthcare financing, including the effective use of existing resources, expansion of financial protection mechanisms for the population, and improved access to medical services. The parties highlighted the need to form a balanced expenditure structure in the healthcare sector while consistently strengthening the state’s role.
It was noted that the key objectives of medical insurance are to expand access to healthcare services and ensure financial sustainability. In this context, defining financing approaches, coverage scope, and service packages, and developing transparent payment and information systems were identified as critical for building an effective insurance model.
The World Bank initiated its engagement with Uzbekistan in 1992, shortly after the country gained independence. Since then, the World Bank’s collaboration with Uzbekistan has deepened substantially, particularly after 2017, with a focus on supporting the country’s ambitious reform agenda through a range of financial and analytical projects spanning sectors such as agriculture, education, infrastructure, and digitalization.
Uzbekistan’s portfolio of joint projects with the World Bank now exceeds $14 billion.
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