The Pharmaceutical Industry Development Agency will be renamed the Agency for the Development of Medical and Pharmaceutical Industry, following the president’s Additional Measures to Support the Private Sector in Healthcare Decree signed on May 5.
Starting in September 2026, the agency will take on several new responsibilities:
- Expanding the network of private medical organizations, ensuring their integration into the national healthcare system, and supporting the adoption of advanced medical technologies;
- Attracting foreign and domestic direct investment to improve medical facility operations, while facilitating Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and investment projects;
- Overseeing the transfer of state medical organizations to private management based on strategic development programs;
- Providing "one-stop-shop" consulting services for local and international investors within the healthcare sector.
A joint-stock company, Health Invest, will be established under the agency with an initial authorized capital of 10 billion soums. The company will play a central role in launching and managing investment projects within the Ministry of Health's system. Health Invest is authorized to create new corporate entities, including an engineering firm to act as a project client.
Additionally, as a special exception, the company and the medical organizations under its management are permitted to procure essential medicines and equipment not produced in Uzbekistan—as well as consulting, expert, and analytical services—directly through a "request for proposals" process.
A new model for managing healthcare investments is being introduced: the Ministry of Health will define the overall strategy and serve as the official state partner for Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects, while the Agency will be responsible for identifying investors, developing projects, and assembling investment packages. Health Invest will serve as the operational arm of this system, participating in the creation and execution of medical investment projects while managing state assets and shares in medical organizations transferred to its control.
In tandem, a Medical Organization Development Fund is being set up under the Agency. Its initial capital will include $10 million from the Fund for Reconstruction and Development, supplemented by 20% of the proceeds from the sale of medical facilities or their shares. These funds will be earmarked for infrastructure development and the recruitment of domestic and international experts.
As a pilot program, management of four major medical institutions will be transferred to Health Invest:
- Jizzakh Provincial Multidisciplinary Medical Center;
- National Children's Medical Center;
- National Medical Center;
- Multifunctional Medical Center.
This experimental phase is scheduled to run through the end of 2026.
By April 2027, authorities plan to finalize a strategy to improve the management efficiency of state clinics. Proposed measures include bringing in the private sector to revitalize underperforming institutions, implementing corporate governance, establishing supervisory boards, and evaluating management performance through Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
To streamline this transition, the Director of the Agency will be granted the powers of a First Deputy Minister of Health, specifically overseeing investment attraction and the implementation of PPP projects within the sector.
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