Since independence the health care system of Uzbekistan has undergone significant changes. Preserving and strengthening the health of its population and raising a younger generation that is harmoniously developed, physically healthy and spiritually mature have been among the Government's priority tasks.
At the initiative of country's President Islam Karimov, 2014 has been designated in Uzbekistan as the "Year of the Healthy Child" and a relevant state program was adopted. It has been a logical continuation of a socially oriented public policy of the Government of Uzbekistan that had been clearly demonstrated in the names of previous years, including the "Year of the Mother and Child" (2001), "Year of Youth" (2008), "Year of the Harmoniously Developed Generation" (2010) and "Year of the Family" (2012).
The current program consists of specific actions that cover all issues pertaining to the birth, raising and education of children, supporting a healthy environment in the family and its economic foundations, and enhancing the effectiveness of the funds allocated to the social sector. In reforming the health care system of Uzbekistan, the main focus is attached to the following issues:
-strengthening the performance of the health care system in providing quality medical services to country's population;
-further improving quality of health care at the primary level and augmenting the capacity for human resources development;
-improving mother and child health care as well as services for pregnant women;
-preventing and managing noncommunicable diseases;
-improving the control and management of communicable diseases through better screening and immunization systems;
-fostering environmental safety through the development of national food and water safety strategies.
In order to accomplish these goals an enormous amount of work has been done thus far and a number of programs have been implemented nationwide, including the "Healthy Mother – Healthy Child Program".
Through the establishment of specialized medical centers and an extensive network of primary health care institutions, including rural health units, all citizens of Uzbekistan, especially women and children living in rural areas, have been given access to proper medical care. Over the past 10 years, more than $750 million have been invested to the modernization of the prevention and treatment institutions and equipping them with the latest technology.
Since independence maternal mortality has decreased by a factor of 3.1 and infant mortality has decreased by a factor of 3.2 in Uzbekistan. Thanks to the mother and child screening program, the number of children born with congenital abnormalities has decreased by a factor of 1.8 since 2000. Today, 92 percent of Uzbek children meet the World Health Organization's child growth standards. According to the ratings of the Save the Children Organization, Uzbekistan ranks among the top 10 countries in the world for children's health care.
Currently one can see the level of development of the national health care system on the example of the newly organized system: Scientific Center of Emergency Health Care. The most complicated surgeries are being performed nowadays at the Republican Scientific Center of Emergency Medicine, which has 13 territorial affiliations and 171 district level branches, about 80 ambulance stations and more than 200 emergency teams.
Sport is an integral element in raising a harmoniously developed young generation. A unique system has been set up to make sport more appealing to children and adolescents, especially girls, and to promote a healthy way of life. Modern sports centers are being built not only in cities but also in more remote areas. During the period 2003-2013 more than 1800 sports facilities were commissioned, which has supported the mass involvement of children in systematic sport activities and improved their health. Today in Uzbekistan more than 30 sports are regularly practiced by about 2 million children, including 842,000 girls.
The program stipulates upgrading the infrastructure of 130 cultural and leisure centers, establishing 15 new cultural and recreational parks, and modernizing 29 existing facilities throughout the country. The implementation of a package of measures in 2014 on further improving the conditions for birth of healthy children are being envisioned. These measures include the construction and provision of complex medical equipment for a modern children's multi-specialty center, which would be the first such facility in the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States. This project is being implemented in close cooperation with Korea through EDCF's loans.
In addition the construction is planned for a number of specialized units of the Republican Scientific and Practical Center for Pediatrics, the clinic of the Tashkent Pediatric Medical Institute, 13 provincial multi-specialty children's medical centers, 62 district medical associations, and other medical and medical-social facilities. They will all be equipped with modern diagnostic and therapeutic equipment to provide children with specialized and high-technology health care in a manner consistent with international standards.
All in all, the national Year of the Healthy Child Program aimed at implementing innovative programs to prepare children for school and support their full intellectual, moral, aesthetic and physical development.
Successful implementation of the tasks set forth in the Year of the Healthy Child Program will be another important step taken by Uzbekistan along the path of far-reaching reforms with the main purpose of raising the well-being of the people.
At the initiative of country's President Islam Karimov, 2014 has been designated in Uzbekistan as the "Year of the Healthy Child" and a relevant state program was adopted. It has been a logical continuation of a socially oriented public policy of the Government of Uzbekistan that had been clearly demonstrated in the names of previous years, including the "Year of the Mother and Child" (2001), "Year of Youth" (2008), "Year of the Harmoniously Developed Generation" (2010) and "Year of the Family" (2012).
The current program consists of specific actions that cover all issues pertaining to the birth, raising and education of children, supporting a healthy environment in the family and its economic foundations, and enhancing the effectiveness of the funds allocated to the social sector. In reforming the health care system of Uzbekistan, the main focus is attached to the following issues:
-strengthening the performance of the health care system in providing quality medical services to country's population;
-further improving quality of health care at the primary level and augmenting the capacity for human resources development;
-improving mother and child health care as well as services for pregnant women;
-preventing and managing noncommunicable diseases;
-improving the control and management of communicable diseases through better screening and immunization systems;
-fostering environmental safety through the development of national food and water safety strategies.
In order to accomplish these goals an enormous amount of work has been done thus far and a number of programs have been implemented nationwide, including the "Healthy Mother – Healthy Child Program".
Through the establishment of specialized medical centers and an extensive network of primary health care institutions, including rural health units, all citizens of Uzbekistan, especially women and children living in rural areas, have been given access to proper medical care. Over the past 10 years, more than $750 million have been invested to the modernization of the prevention and treatment institutions and equipping them with the latest technology.
Since independence maternal mortality has decreased by a factor of 3.1 and infant mortality has decreased by a factor of 3.2 in Uzbekistan. Thanks to the mother and child screening program, the number of children born with congenital abnormalities has decreased by a factor of 1.8 since 2000. Today, 92 percent of Uzbek children meet the World Health Organization's child growth standards. According to the ratings of the Save the Children Organization, Uzbekistan ranks among the top 10 countries in the world for children's health care.
Currently one can see the level of development of the national health care system on the example of the newly organized system: Scientific Center of Emergency Health Care. The most complicated surgeries are being performed nowadays at the Republican Scientific Center of Emergency Medicine, which has 13 territorial affiliations and 171 district level branches, about 80 ambulance stations and more than 200 emergency teams.
Sport is an integral element in raising a harmoniously developed young generation. A unique system has been set up to make sport more appealing to children and adolescents, especially girls, and to promote a healthy way of life. Modern sports centers are being built not only in cities but also in more remote areas. During the period 2003-2013 more than 1800 sports facilities were commissioned, which has supported the mass involvement of children in systematic sport activities and improved their health. Today in Uzbekistan more than 30 sports are regularly practiced by about 2 million children, including 842,000 girls.
The program stipulates upgrading the infrastructure of 130 cultural and leisure centers, establishing 15 new cultural and recreational parks, and modernizing 29 existing facilities throughout the country. The implementation of a package of measures in 2014 on further improving the conditions for birth of healthy children are being envisioned. These measures include the construction and provision of complex medical equipment for a modern children's multi-specialty center, which would be the first such facility in the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States. This project is being implemented in close cooperation with Korea through EDCF's loans.
In addition the construction is planned for a number of specialized units of the Republican Scientific and Practical Center for Pediatrics, the clinic of the Tashkent Pediatric Medical Institute, 13 provincial multi-specialty children's medical centers, 62 district medical associations, and other medical and medical-social facilities. They will all be equipped with modern diagnostic and therapeutic equipment to provide children with specialized and high-technology health care in a manner consistent with international standards.
All in all, the national Year of the Healthy Child Program aimed at implementing innovative programs to prepare children for school and support their full intellectual, moral, aesthetic and physical development.
Successful implementation of the tasks set forth in the Year of the Healthy Child Program will be another important step taken by Uzbekistan along the path of far-reaching reforms with the main purpose of raising the well-being of the people.
![[INTERVIEW] How ATEEZ achieved worldwide success](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/c7723b56dde94eb4b260950d368fe8fb.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
