As of 1 January 2017, there are 6542 out-patient medical institutions in the Republic of Uzbekistan, their number had grown more than twofold compared to 1991 (3027). On the contrary, the number of hospitals decreased, if in 1991 there were 1388 hospitals, then their number was 1106 units by 2016 (Figure 1).

Figure 1

Number of treatment and prevention facilities (1991-2016)

Figure 2

Number of treatment and prevention facilities by regions (2016)

In 2016, the capacity of out-patient medical institutions, compared with 1991, increased by 46.0 percent. If in 1991 the number of visits to out-patient medical institutions was 282.2 thousand per shift, then by 2016 this figure reached 411.9 thousand per shift. If in 2000 there were about 7 visits a year per capita to out-patient medical institutions, then in 2016 this figure was 10.2 visits a year (Figure 3).

Figure 3

Capacity of out-patient medical institutions, thousand persons (1991-2016)

Over the years of independence, as a result of the ongoing reforms aimed at optimizing and improving the efficiency of the health care system, structural changes have been made in in-patient institutions, and in 2016 the number of in-patient institutions decreased by 20 percent compared to 1991. As a result of optimization of inefficient hospital beds, their number decreased by 49.0 percent compared to 1991, and the number of beds per 10000 population decreased by 67.0 percent (Figure 4).

Figure 4

Availability of hospital beds (1991-2016)

In 2016, the number of registered diseases diagnosed for the first time amounted to 17196.4 thousand, of which 54 percent belong to women and 46 percent - to men (Figure 5).

Figure 5

Morbidity of population by sex (2016)

Figure 6 shows the number of patients distributed by sex and regions. In many regions of the country the most morbidity per 100,000 persons falls on the share of women.

Figure 6

Morbidity by regions (2016)

When analyzing the number of registered diseases diagnosed for the first time in 2016 by age groups of patients, the largest number is in the age group of 18 years and older, which is more than 59.0 percent. This figure is 53995 people per every 100000 population. Among the age groups, a high share of registered diseases diagnosed for the first time is observed in persons of the 15-17 age group – 94315.6 (Figure 7). The greatest number is the morbidity with respiratory organs - 30.4 percent, digestive organs - 15.3 percent, blood and hematopoietic organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism-12.8 percent. The largest share falls on the age of 15-17 years per 100000 population. According to Figure 8, the highest data are marked in Djizhak region (114261.4), Namangan region (125260.5) and the city of Tashkent (194824.5).

Figure 7

Diseases registered for the first time by age group (2016)

Figure 8

Diseases registered for the first time by age group and regions (2016)

If in 1991 there were 75 thousand physicians in the sphere of medical services, then by 2016 their number was 84.1 thousand (increased by 12.0 percent). The number of paramedical personnel increased by 41.0 percent compared to 1991 (from 242.2 to 341.3 thousand). Table 1 shows that the number of physicians per 10000 population decreased from 35.5 (1991) to 26.2 (2016), and that of paramedical personnel from 114.7 to 106.3 respectively. Among physicians, 34.0 percent have the higher category; their qualitative development is shown in Figure 9. The data also show a decline in the share of physicians without a category, the work experience of whom is less than 5 years.

Table 1

Availability of physicians (1991-2016)

Figure 9

Number of population per physician (1991-2016)

Figure 10

Number of population per paramedical worker (1991-2016)

Table 2

Distribution of physicians by qualification categories (2000-2016)

Figure 11

Comparative chart of data on qualification category of physicians for 2000 and 2016

When analyzing the morbidity of the population with some infectious and parasitic diseases, it can be seen that such diseases as diphtheria, malaria, measles, and rubella were not registered in 2016.

In addition, it should be noted that in recent years the share of private establishments in the health sector has increased significantly. When comparing the data the share of private hospital institutions increased to 40.4 percent in 2016 (37.9 percent in 2015) and that of private outpatient medical institutions increased to 39.0 percent in 2016 (35.9 percent in 2015). The number of hospital beds increased by 1.7 thousand, while the number of patients treated in 2015 was 147.5 thousand or 2.8 percent of the total treated persons, in 2016 - 205.1 thousand and 3.7 percent respectively.

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