Government pilot project to reform health system and raise wages

As part of a pilot project, the monthly salaries of doctors at certain district (city) central hospitals in Uzbekistan will be increased by 20 percent. This is stated in the Presidential Decree "On measures to consistently continue reforming the sector by improving the healthcare system and the principles of providing medical services to the population in the republic", adopted on May 19.

According to the document, the following have been identified as key goals for introducing a new model of primary healthcare based on international best practices:

- Establishing a modern model of primary medical care;
- Increasing the share of family doctors providing healthcare services to 70 percent;
- Reducing the workload of healthcare workers by up to 30 percent through digitization and minimizing paperwork.

Starting from July 1, 2025, a new healthcare system model will be piloted in selected districts and cities outlined in the decree. From January 1, 2026, the model will be expanded to cover all districts and cities in the Samarkand region.

As part of the pilot project, district (city) healthcare departments will be formed based on existing district (city) medical associations.

The decree also outlines a system of additional financial incentives for medical professionals working in primary medical and sanitary institutions:

- Medical workers providing mobile services will receive an additional 50 percent of their base salary;
- For exceeding service population norms, an additional 0.3 percent of the minimum wage per person will be paid in urban areas, and 0.5 percent in rural areas;
- Medical staff who complete specialized training in family healthcare will receive a bonus equivalent to 100 percent of their base salary.

Under the pilot project:

- Doctors' monthly salaries at district (city) central hospitals will increase by 20 percent;
- Secondary medical staff salaries will rise by 10 percent;
- Performance-based bonuses (KPI) of up to 100 percent of the monthly salary will be introduced for medical and pharmaceutical staff in family clinics and district (city) hospitals.

The decree also includes reforms in healthcare management:

- A medical management training program will be established for healthcare leaders;
- Upon certification, managers will receive a 100 percent salary bonus, deputy managers 80 percent, and head nurses 50 percent;
- KPIs will be set for managers, with bonuses of up to 100 percent of the monthly salary;
- Managers who fail to achieve at least 56 percent of the set KPIs within one year will be dismissed.

Additionally, regional medical institutions will be unified in terms of structure, management, and finances, and transformed into multidisciplinary hospitals according to a list defined by the Ministry of Health.

It should be recalled that earlier, during a videoconference chaired by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to discuss the next stage of healthcare reforms, it was announced that Uzbekistan would introduce a system in which family doctors would earn 1,500 US dollars per month and nurses would earn between 600 and 800 US dollars.