INFORMATION DIGEST OF PRESS OF UZBEKISTAN # 29

February 9, 2017

POLITICS
President chairs a meeting on healthcare issues

INVESTMENTS
In the next three years, Uzbekistan plans to implement 1,100 projects on localization of production, 600 of which will be completely new

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
Meeting with Head of Government of Kuwait

Meeting with Chairman of National Assembly of Kuwait

Meeting with First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait

ART
Uzbek Circus Artists Triumph in Monaco

POLITICS

President chairs a meeting on healthcare issues
During the meeting with the healthcare professionals on January 5 this year, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev had instructed to adopt measures on further improving healthcare services, eliminating existing problems and shortages. It was underlined that the sphere concerning the health of the population, future of our people, in particular, of a younger generation will be at the centre of attention of the President of the country.
During his visits to the regions, the Head of State calls on rural medical centers and clinics, talks to doctors and patients. This demonstrates a constant attention of the President of our country to this sphere- the health of the nation.
A videoconference meeting was held on 7 February under the chairmanship of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, dedicated to implementing the tasks, envisaged at the 5 January meeting, solving the problems in the sphere of healthcare and prospects of its development.
Heads of relevant ministries and agencies, rectors of higher medical educational institutions, directors of specialized medical centers, chairman of the Jokargy Kenes of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, khokims of regions and Tashkent city, districts and towns, heads of medical institutions attended the meeting.
The Head of our state, deeply analyzing the problems in the healthcare sphere, spoke in detail about the need to effectively work on their elimination, personal responsibility of managers.
As underlined by the President, despite adopted measures, the works on changing the state of affairs in healthcare are inadequate. This is corroborated by the sheer quantity of applications and complaints by the public to the People’s reception and the Virtual reception of the President.
The activity of primary medical institutions, in particular of the rural medical centers, family polyclinics, patronage and ambulance services are not on a satisfactory level. It was underlined that the instructions on provision of hospitals and the public with medicines and medical goods, including on establishing social pharmacies, are executed inadequately.
Staffing of medical units with qualified personnel, improving the activity of the republican specialized medical centers are done inefficiently. Insufficient attention is paid to development of the private sector in the healthcare system.
Medical services are one of the important factors to ensure the interests of the person. Healthcare professionals should visit homes, take measures to prevent disease, and people should feel their care. For this we need to raise the culture, ethics, the responsibility of healthcare professionals to change their attitude to work and patients, the President said.
The need to review the deployment of rural medical centers (RMC), optimizing inefficient RMC, re-allocating saved funds to material and technical strengthening of the heavily visited RMC, if necessary, converting some of them into a clinic, stimulation of work of qualified doctors was underlined. A particular attention was paid to create conditions for round the clock operation of rural medical centers.
Over the years, considerable works on improving the public healthcare provision system have been accomplished. Rural medical centers have been built and equipped with modern facilities. However, people come here not for the sake of a modern building, but for a specialist. Therefore, the best specialists should work at rural medical centers and clinics. Qualified doctors of the specialized medical centers, national and regional clinics are to hold scheduled receptions in rural medical centers and family polyclinics, Shavkat Mirziyoyev stressed. In this case, people will be satisfied with the medical services.
The need to further improve the activity of the Ministry of Health and its regional offices, to strengthen cooperation of specialized centers with medical associations in the districts, and of these associations with the rural medical centers and clinics was underlined at the meeting. It is mandatory to identify the types of health services provided free of charge, and those provided for a fee. This information should be available to everyone.
The decree of the Head of our state "On measures to further improve the provision of population with medicines and medical devices" from October 31, 2016 significantly reduced their prices. The sales of medicines at fixed prices are constantly monitored by representatives of the department of the General Prosecutor’s office of the Republic of Uzbekistan, relevant ministries and khokimiyats.
The President of our country entrusted to open a telephone hotline at the department of the General Prosecutor’s office in order to prevent illegal overpriced sales of medicines. These phone numbers will be on display at every pharmacy and will be announced on television.
Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Minister of Health A.Ikramov, First Deputy Minister of Health A.Hojiboev, Deputy Minister of Health E.Basithanova, head of the Department of the General Prosecutor’s office of the Republic of Uzbekistan Z.Dusanov, chairman of Jokargy Kenes of Karakalpakstan M .Erniyazov, khokims of Tashkent city, Andijan, Surkhondaryo, Samarkand, Khorezm, Tashkent, Fergana, Bukhara, Jizzakh regions, and Bekabad, Oltiariq, Vobkent districts reported about the progress in this area during the meeting.
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev gave instructions to officials to further improve the efficiency of medical services, quality implementation of priority targets in this area. The meeting, held in a spirit of critical analysis, demonstrated that the works on further improvement of a medical sphere, improving the quality and level of medical services in accordance with modern requirements, are conducted in a systematic manner and under strict control.
(Source: UzA)

INVESTMENTS

In the next three years, Uzbekistan plans to implement 1,100 projects on localization of production, 600 of which will be completely new
Last December, Uzbekistan updated its localization program for three years ahead. It draws a new approach to investment projects, giving priority to initiatives in remote areas and areas with subventions.
In recent years, Uzbekistan has approved eight five-year programs on mineral resources processing. They cover ferrous and nonferrous metallurgy, chemicals and petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, light and food industries, and some other areas. Over 600 investment projects total $40 billion.
Their implementation will allow increasing industrial production by half, and bringing the share of the manufacturing industry in gross domestic product from 33.6% to 36% by 2021. It is also expected that the share of processing industries in GDP will increase from 80% to 85%.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

Meeting with Head of Government of Kuwait
On February 8, 2017 the delegation of the Republic of Uzbekistan headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulaziz Kamilov, who arrived in Kuwait on an official visit, was received by the Prime Minister of the State of Kuwait Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.
The Minister conveyed the greetings and best wishes of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the leadership of Kuwait.
During the conversation the sides discussed the state and prospects of further development of bilateral relations, especially in trade-economic and investment fields.
At the meeting it was emphasized that the process of activating the Uzbek-Kuwaiti dialogue opens real opportunities to bring cooperation to a new qualitative level, giving it a long-term nature.
During the talks sides also exchanged views on other bilateral and international issues of mutual interest.
(Source: Press Service of the MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan)

Meeting with Chairman of National Assembly of Kuwait
On February 8, 2017, in Kuwait City, the delegation of the Republic of Uzbekistan headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulaziz Kamilov met with Chairman of the National Assembly of State of Kuwait Marzouq Ali Muhammad Al-Ghanim.
The sides discussed topical issues of Uzbek-Kuwaiti relations, prospects of strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation.
In the conversation it was noted that inter-parliamentary friendship subgroup “Kuwait-Uzbekistan”, which is functioning in the National Assembly, promotes the intensification of contacts between the two countries.
The partie also considered other issues of further development of cooperation between Uzbekistan and Kuwait.
(Source: Press Service of the MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan)

Meeting with First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait
On February 8, 2017 the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov, who is in Kuwait on an official visit, held talks with the First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.
At the talks within the first round of political consultations between the Foreign Ministries of Uzbekistan and Kuwait the sides exchanged views on a wide range of issues of bilateral and international agenda.
The Ministers confirmed their readiness to expand practical cooperation between the foreign ministries of Uzbekistan and Kuwait, to conduct regular consultations to work out the ways of progressive development of Uzbek-Kuwaiti relations in various fields, especially in trade, investment, joint implementation of projects in promising directions.
The Uzbek side thanked the Kuwaiti side for the support of the priorities of Uzbekistan’s chairmanship in the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the 43rd session of which was held in Tashkent under the motto “The education and enlightenment – path to peace and creativity”.
A.Kamilov invited the Head of the MFA of Kuwait to pay visit to Uzbekistan t a convenient time.
Following the meeting, the sides signed intergovernmental Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Agreement on Visa-Free Travel for Diplomatic Passport Holders, as well as Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan and Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), providing KFAED co-financing social projects totaling 226 million US dollars in the coming years.
(Source: Press Service of the MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan)

ART

Uzbek Circus Artists Triumph in Monaco
The duo of trapeze artists, Kristianna Vorobyova and Rustem Osmanov, from Uzbekistan performing under the name Sky Angels has participated in the International Circus Festival in Monaco. They performed to the song ‘Show Must Go On’ of the world popular band Queen and won the highest award of the festival. Watching the act of this duo one will really want the show to never end.
The best 120 artists from 16 countries performed on the stage of the famous Chapiteau (circus tent) de Fontvieille. One of the most prestigious Circus Festival was founded in 1974 by Prince Rainier III of Monaco. As an ardent fan of the circus, he timed the opening of the festival for the 25th anniversary of his reign. This festival was established the first, and it always remains the most important event of the circus performers in the world. The people visit Fontvieille to enjoy the enchanting presentation, and sometimes they exceed the number of population of Monaco several times. The festival runs for 10 days. The world’s best circus teams consider it an honor to perform at the circus tent, which seats almost 4 thousand spectators. Today this important circus show is organized under the chairmanship of Princess Stephanie of Monaco, who heads the jury. And it is her honor to announce the winners.
The Sky Angels staged their performance five years ago, and they still today continue to improve it. Planned thoroughly and performed perfectly this number of the duo makes the heart stand still. Awesome, but very dangerous number the duo performed without any helping. At some moment, whirling around under the dome, Rustem supported his partner with only one hand. The elements of the performance with the use of iron-jaw apparatus were very impressive and spectacular. By the way, Sky Angels are the only in Uzbekistan, who perform using these special devices. Graceful Kristianna Vorobyova in dazzling costume added a charm to the performance and at the same time demonstrated the remarkable strength. The performance when she hung in the air holding her partner on iron-jaw apparatus while he made various twists was rather jaw-dropping. The audience presented the artists with a storm of sincere and rapturous applause.
Rustem Osmanov and Kristianna Vorobyova received the highest award of the festival – ‘The Golden Clown’, which is considered the Oscars of the circus world. They also were honored with two other special awards, including for the best background music.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)

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