Women with oncological diseases in Uzbekistan will receive free treatment

An electronic database of women aged 30-65 will be created in Uzbekistan’s primary healthcare system, along with a system for inviting them for medical checkups. This was outlined in a Presidential Decree adopted on November 22, aimed at enhancing the monitoring of oncological diseases among women.  

Under the decree:  
- Cervical cancer screening will be conducted annually for women aged 30-50. This will involve detecting the human papillomavirus (HPV) through the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method and examining samples using liquid cytology.  
- Women aged 30-65 will undergo primary screenings every two years by healthcare professionals.  
- The cost of diagnosis and treatment for oncological diseases detected through screening will be fully funded by the state budget.  

Starting January 1, 2025, the following measures will be implemented:  
- Obstetrician-gynecologists and X-ray lab technicians will be appointed to support mobile and stationary mammograph operations in two shifts.  
- A mammography image reading center and a reference laboratory for quality control of HPV diagnostic systems will be established.  
- Non-governmental medical organizations will participate in cervical and breast cancer screenings.  

Additionally, by May 1, 2025:  
- A system for assessing and monitoring the quality of cervical cancer screening and early detection of breast cancer will be introduced.  
- A feedback mechanism will be established for women included in the screening program.  

The World Health Organization has recommended vaccinating girls aged 9-14 against HPV as part of its global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer.