Shavkat Mirziyoyev: Carelessness can negate all our efforts to counter the pandemic

On May 26, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the videoconference on investment, focused on the ongoing work to counter the coronavirus pandemic. The Head of the state noted in particular:

In recent days, the number of coronavirus infected in Uzbekistan has increased. It should be noted that the leaders of most regions and enterprises, our citizens incorrectly perceive the softening of quarantine measures, mistakenly thinking that, allegedly, the disease has passed.

To date, 47 thousand Uzbekistan citizens have returned from abroad. Unfortunately, many of them, especially those who have returned in the past two weeks, have been diagnosed with coronavirus.

Almost 50 percent of patients in the country are those, who returned from abroad.

It is expected that over the next 10 days, another 3,500 people will arrive by air and about 7,000 through border posts. At the same time, more than 100 thousand Uzbekistan citizens have expressed a desire to return to the country and are waiting for their turn.

Taking into account the seriousness of the situation in the countries from where they return, as well as in neighboring states, we must not indulge in calm.

Cases of non-compliance with social distance have become more frequent, especially in markets, shopping complexes, banks, street walks without medical masks, holding various mass events at home. In a word, vigilance and caution are weakening.

Such a situation can negate all our efforts to identify, prevent and treat this disease, the impact of trillions budget spending.

The Republican Commission together with regional khokims will review within one day the categories of territories where the epidemiological situation has worsened and make proposals to strengthen quarantine measures.

The Ministry of Health should increase the number of tests carried out per day in the red and yellow zones. At the same time, it is necessary to expand control testing in medical institutions, markets, banks and crowded places.

Here I would like to draw attention to a very important issue. 16 decrees and resolutions of the President, aimed at mitigating the impact of the pandemic on the economy, have been adopted. However, the organization of implementation of these decisions at places is lagging behind, we are not coping with the task of bringing the created conditions and benefits to citizens and entrepreneurs.

In this regard, it is efficient to establish control over the Chambers of the Oliy Majlis together with local councils of people’s deputies over the implementation of presidential decisions and instructions adopted within the framework of the fight against the pandemic.

Khokims of districts, cities, regions and ministers are instructed to hold monthly briefings on the implementation of presidential acts, submit reports to media, representatives of the Parliament and general public.

Activity of more than 19 thousand (91 percent) industrial, 9 thousand (76 percent) construction, 51 thousand (52 percent) service and 45 thousand (44 percent) commercial enterprises was restored due to softening the quarantine measures.

Due to this, tax and customs revenues in May increased by 230 billion UZS compared to the same period last month, and the volume of sales of construction materials on the commodity exchange increased by 20 percent.

The volume of loans issued by commercial banks increased by 13 percent compared to the corresponding period last month.

We must continue this work purposefully, both by industry and by region, strictly observing the quarantine requirements.

UzA