Editor’s Note
Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia have signed several bilateral agreements to strengthen cooperation in healthcare and pharmaceuticals, following high-level talks in Tashkent on July 27.
Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia are expanding cooperation in healthcare. Following a series of events held on 27 July in Tashkent with the participation of a Saudi delegation led by Health Minister Fahd bin Abdulrahman Al-Jalajel, the sides signed a number of bilateral documents aimed at developing cooperation in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors.
During a meeting between Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khojayev and the Saudi delegation, which also included Health Minister Eldor Adilov and Deputy Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade Shokhrukh Gulyamov, the sides discussed prospects for developing medical infrastructure, attracting investment, digitalising healthcare, medical insurance, workforce training, as well as the pharmaceutical industry and medical equipment production.
Particular attention was paid to the project to build an 800-bed multidisciplinary medical complex in Ferghana Region. The project is being implemented under a public-private partnership with the participation of Vision Invest and provides for the introduction of modern standards for the management and delivery of medical services.
An Uzbek-Saudi roundtable was also held on the same day, bringing together representatives of government agencies, medical institutions and specialised companies from the two countries. The event was attended by Tamila Aliyeva, deputy head of the Presidential Administration, Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khojayev, Health Minister Eldor Adilov and representatives of other government agencies.
Following the roundtable, the sides signed a cooperation programme between Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Health and SEHA Virtual Hospital, a healthcare insurance cooperation programme, as well as memorandums between Uzbek and Saudi organisations, including UZINFOCOM, Lean Business Services, NUPCO, Health Holding and Vision Invest.
Speaking at the event, Khojayev said healthcare was becoming one of the promising areas of strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia. He said the two countries’ joint investment portfolio includes 48 projects worth a total of US$24.8 billion, while cooperation is steadily expanding into new areas, including healthcare.
The implementation of the agreements is expected to expand public access to quality healthcare services, accelerate technological modernisation of the sector and create additional opportunities for attracting investment and developing the private healthcare sector.