Health systems in transition : Uzbekistan

7.1 Stated objectives of the health system
In Uzbekistan, the overall aims and objectives of the health system are formulated 
in terms of general principles. More detailed objectives are developed as part 
of specific programmes (see Chapter 6). The general principles of the Uzbek 
health system were stated in a number of government documents. Article 3 of 
the 1996 
Law on health protection
 (Republic of Uzbekistan, 1996) outlined the 
following general principles:

---

Health systems in transition
  
Uzbekistan
108
•
  compliance with human rights norms in health protection;
•
  accessibility of health services to all strata of the population;
•
  prevention as a priority for the health sector;
•
  social protection for citizens in case of illness;
•
  bridging the gap between medical science and practice.
These principles were translated by follow-up documents into more 
detailed objectives, such as the establishment of new health facilities or new 
financing mechanisms. The 2011 
Presidential Decree
 on the next steps of 
health reforms (President of Uzbekistan, 2011b), for example, addressed the 
principles of accessibility and prevention through reform initiatives in primary 
and emergency care. Other presidential decrees focused on other principles, 
for instance by setting out reforms of tertiary care to improve efficiency and 
facilitate innovation, or by outlining reforms of medical science to tailor 
research outputs to the health care needs of the country. Implementation of 
national legislation is closely monitored, such as through the use of a centralized 
administrative infrastructure and direct accountability.