Strengthening the health of mothers and children has always been a priority area of reforms implemented since the first years of independence of Uzbekistan. The country has introduced a number of government programs in this area aimed at further strengthening the reproductive health of the population, protecting the health of mothers, children and adolescents.

Strengthening maternal and child health has always been a priority of the reforms implemented since the first years of independence of Uzbekistan. А number of State programs in this area have been introduced in the country, aimed at further strengthening the reproductive health of the population and protecting the health of mothers, children and adolescents.

Thanks to the highest level of attention to the health of mothers and children in our country, reproductive health services are now available to the entire population of the country and, as a result, the mortality rate of children and mothers has been reduced.

In particular, in 2017-2023, a 1.5-fold reduction in maternal mortality and a 1.3-fold reduction in infant mortality was achieved.

As a result of the implementation of measures defined by the relevant regulatory and legal documents to improve maternal and child health, as well as to further increase the effectiveness of obstetric and gynecological care services from 2017 to 2023 in the Republic:

• in 209 district (urban) multidisciplinary central outpatient clinics, “Women’s consultation” units, “Girls’ health centers” and “Onko-nazorat” (onco-control) rooms have been set up to ensure joint activities between outpatient clinics and inpatient facilities, maternity hospitals, dispensaries and specialized centers for the prevention of reproductive health, the prevention of unwanted pregnancies and the conduct of prenatal check-ups;
• inpatient pediatric gynecology units have been set up in 13 regional children’s multidisciplinary medical centers and pediatric gynecology units 20 beds at the clinic of the Tashkent Pediatric Medical Institute;
• a vertical structure for the pediatric gynecological service has been established;
• annually, an average of 20,000 of the 6.5 million girls surveyed are diagnosed with reproductive system dysfunctions and pathologies, and receive appropriate outpatient and inpatient treatment;
• an autonomous electronic database of women of fertile age and pregnant women locally attached to the region has been created in each “Women’s Consultation” department;
• emergency gynecology departments with 30 beds have been set up in 13 regional branches of the Republican Scientific Center for Emergency Medical Care (RSCEMC);
• a universal-progressive model of patronage for pregnant women, women in labor and children has been created based on UNICEF recommendations;
• assisted reproductive technologies (IVF) have been introduced in the private health sector;
• 2 projects are being implemented with the support of international organizations piloting different models of cervical cancer screening.

Currently, there are 15 stationary and 16 mobile offices for mammography screening in the country. In May 2021, for the first time mammographic screening was launched in the republic. Between May 2021 and 2023, 140506 women were screened (70.2% of the target group was covered).

The following were detected: 327 new cases of breast cancer, 2300 benign masses, 7097 precancerous lesions. Among the detected cases of breast cancer, 246 (80.9%) women were diagnosed at stages 1-2, and 81 (19.1%) women were diagnosed at stages 3-4.

In addition, the State has been paying a great deal of attention to improving the health of the child population. Free provision of medicines, medical devices and special food products for children suffering from rare (orphan) and other hereditary genetic diseases has been introduced, and the range of medical and social assistance provided to them has been expanded.

Children’s anesthesiology and resuscitation departments and 24-hour pediatric emergency posts have been established in district (city) medical associations, and children’s departments have been set up in outpatient clinics.

An additional 8,500 pediatric nurses and midwives have been assigned to more than 17,500 medical teams. Free provision of children, pregnant women and women of childbearing age with the necessary vitamin complexes, iodine, iron and folic acid preparations has been introduced.

Thus, in 2023, 8 million children aged 3 to 15, 2.2 million pregnant and lactating women were provided with iodine preparations free of charge, and 5.9 million women of childbearing age up to the age of 35 – iron and folic acid preparations.

Within the framework of the nationwide movement on proper nutrition, healthy lifestyle and physical activity of the population, the launch of which was announced by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan at the end of 2022, the health authorities, along with local authorities, civil society institutions, non-governmental organizations and the media, have started to implement the programs “Healthy Nation” and “Healthy Family Planning”.

At the same time, the issues of forming healthy families through prevention of unwanted pregnancies, birth spacing, promotion of breastfeeding and early diagnosis of pregnancy pathologies have been prioritized.

A significant document aimed at further improving the organization of medical care, prevention and early detection of diseases among the population of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, was the decision of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On further strengthening the protection of public health in the Republic of Karakalpakstan in 2022-2024”.

A document that provides for improving the quality and bringing medical services closer to the population, strengthening the material and technical base of medical services to the population, strengthening the material and technical base of the region’s medical institutions The document was adopted after an open dialog between the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and representatives of the health sector on the theme “Reforms in medicine – for the sake of human dignity” in July 2022.

This decision entrusts the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Karakalpakstan with such priority tasks as restoring the gene pool and protecting the health of the population living in the Aral Sea region, promoting a healthy lifestyle, assisting in the introduction of a culture of family health into everyday life, improving the health of the population, especially children and women, providing children, women of childbearing age, pregnant women and nursing mothers with preventive special medicines free of charge, and carrying out the following activities: (a) the development of a healthy lifestyle; (b) the promotion of a healthy lifestyle; (c) the promotion of a culture of family health in everyday life; and (d) the promotion of a culture of family health.

For example, in the Republic of Karakalpakstan in 2023, 59050 children aged 6-23 months of age were provided with micronutrient preparations, 466546 children aged 3-15 years and 68472 pregnant women and nursing mothers were provided with iodine preparations, and 356324 women of childbearing age up to 35 years were provided with iron and folic acid preparations.

Children’s departments of multidisciplinary central outpatient clinics regularly conduct preventive and in-depth medical examinations of children aged 1-18 years, helminthic screening of children aged 2-10 years and hematooncological screening of children aged 3-18 years.

On the basis of the schedule of preventive medical examinations of children, a total of 664710 children aged 0 to 18 years were examined in depth during 2023, of whom 228239 were treated in outpatient and inpatient settings.

In the course of health care reforms, cancer among women requires close attention and measures aimed at early detection and prevention of premature mortality. Currently, cervical cancer is the leading cancer in the world.

Cervical cancer is the second most common type of cancer among women in Uzbekistan. In 2021, 1827 new cases were detected. Incidence and mortality rates are steadily increasing, and cervical cancer is projected to cause 2100 new cases and 1300 deaths per year by 2030.

It is necessary to widely implement screening programs for early diagnosis and timely treatment of precancerous diseases of the cervix at the level of primary health care to reduce the incidence of cervical cancer.

One of the large-scale activities was a screening program on early diagnosis and timely treatment of precancerous diseases in the Republic of Karakalpakstan with the support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and UNDP in 2021.

The initiated pilot project on cervical cancer screening was conducted in 11 regions of the Republic of Karakalpakstan.

In the Republic of Karakalpakstan, the incidence of cervical cancer ranks second after breast cancer among the female population. In 2020, 117 women with cervical cancer were detected, 69 of them had advanced form (III-IV st.), and the number of registered women amounted to 438. The peak incidence of cervical cancer is between 40 and 44 years of age. Cervical malignancy claimed the lives of 71 women in Karakalpakstan in 2020.

Under the project, about 50000 Karakalpak women were screened free of charge, and some of them received the necessary treatment or continued with it. Detecting cervical cancer at an early stage saves women’s lives – and that is why cervical cancer screening is so essential.

According to the World Health Organization, 90% of cases begin with an infection caused by some type of human papillomavirus (HPV). With early detection and proper treatment, precancerous conditions caused by HPV are completely curable; so is cancer in its early stages.

The pilot program for early detection of cervical cancer covered 50000 people in Karakalpakstan aged 30-55 years. 50000 in Karakalpakstan aged 30-55 years. In Karakalpakstan, 49140 tests were performed. 49140 tests, of which 3290 (6.8%) were positive for the presence of the virus in the body. All patients with detected pathology were referred for further consultations and treatment by narrow specialists.

237 HPV-positive women with detected minimal lesions on the cervix were treated (thermoablation or radio wave coagulation) at the outpatient clinic. 769 HPV-positive women were referred to oncology institutions, nine of whom underwent surgical treatment for cervical cancer.

The project trained 45 gynecologists, 150 family physicians, 270 patronage nurses, and 77 primary health care midwives in Karakalpakstan. They were involved in conducting HPV testing.

Handouts (leaflets, brochures) on cervical cancer prevention in Karakalpak, Uzbek and Russian languages were developed and printed to inform the population.

Also in 2021, equipment and test systems for HPV detection were received: 8 test machines and 50 thousand tests purchased by the Government of Japan were installed in 8 district multidisciplinary outpatient clinics of Karakalpakstan.

Also 3 sets of equipment for radio wave surgery were purchased and installed in two districts and Nukus city, specialists were trained to use them.

This equipment made it possible to carry out biopsy and treatment of precancerous conditions of the cervix without the risk of invasion, covering the population of nearby outpatient clinics, as well as to treat precancerous conditions of the cervix at the place of residence of women and relieve the workload of the Oncology Center.

Implementation of screening programs for early diagnosis and timely treatment of precancerous diseases based on HPV testing and timely treatment of precancerous lesions based on HPV testing have shown their effectiveness and allowed to improve the reproductive health of the female population in the Aral Sea region.

During 2023, 1454 cases of cervical cancer were detected in the country, of which 564 (38.8%) were detected as a result of preventive screening. 32804 women aged 35-65 years were screened for cervical cancer, of which 154 (0.06 %) women were diagnosed. Also 178948 women were screened for breast cancer, and 194 cases (0.1%) were diagnosed. All patients with detected pathology were referred to specialized specialists for further treatment.

It should be noted that the State Strategy of the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2030 also provides for expanding the coverage of medical care provided to women of reproductive age by detecting precancerous lesions at early stages and improving treatment results and patient survival rates.

At present, the Ministry of Health has developed a draft national strategy “Population Health – 2030” based on best international practices. One of the main directions of the national strategy “Population Health – 2030” is the protection of motherhood and childhood, meeting the needs of the population in this area, in particular:

1. Reduction in maternal mortality from 13.5 ppm to 7.1 ppm;
2. Reduction in infant mortality from 8.5 ppm to 4.3 ppm;
3. Children under 5 years of age mortality rate reduced from 11.0 ppm to 5.5 ppm;
4. Ensuring proper nutrition of children and creation of appropriate conditions by reducing stunting, underweight, reducing the share of overweight on average 2 times, etc.

The inclusion of maternal and child health issues in the strategic document is unprecedented proof of the state’s attention to the issues of improving the reproductive health of the population and women’s health care.

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In the New Uzbekistan, which has set the Third Renaissance as a big goal, the development of national fine and applied art is considered an integral part of the country’s socio-economic development. As a result of such attention of the head of the state and the government to the field of fine and applied art, a unique system was formed that gives the international public a wide opportunity to show the national artistic wealth of our country and the examples of creativity of artists and creators, the achievements made in modern fine and applied art with their existing diversity.

The state policy in the field is reflected in the development strategy of New Uzbekistan. In the new historical stage, the development strategy V – the direction of ensuring spiritual development and bringing the industry to a new stage was added. Its 75th goal is to develop visual and applied art and design directions, to increase the artistic and aesthetic taste of the population, to widely promote the exemplary life and creativity of famous folk artists and masters of applied art of Uzbekistan, and to perpetuate their memory, to popularize the visual and applied art of Uzbekistan at the international level, and tasks such as improving the system of training mature specialists in applied art and design directions were set, hellomagyar said.

In 2023, to ensure the performance of relevant tasks, celebrate the birthdays of prominent representatives of the fields of culture, art, and science, and widely promote their activities, in 2023 the birthday of People’s Artist of Uzbekistan – Muhyiddin Rahimov .The 120th anniversary and the 90th anniversary of the birth of Ortiq Faizullaev were duly celebrated. A bronze statue of Alisher Navoi and Usman Nasser was installed in Astana, the capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

36 statues, 38 busts, 5 bas-reliefs, 17 monumental monuments, and other works were created in our country in the last three years to perpetuate the memory of our great ancestors. Also, a group of dedicated artists was awarded honorary titles and awards by the head of state for their effective work.

The participation of our country’s artists and masters of applied arts in international conferences and exhibitions, festivals, and competitions has become significantly more active. In the next three years, 520 exhibitions, 2 international sculpture symposiums, and plein airs were organized in the field of fine and practical art and design in the field of visual and applied art and design.

The expansion of the number of real members of the Academy, which played a key role in increasing the scientific and artistic potential of the Academy of Arts, is a practical confirmation of high attention to the field. In 2023, based on the results of the elections held by the Management Board of the Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan, 9 artists were confirmed as real members of the Academy, the number of academicians reached 43.

“Art Gallery” auction house was launched for the first time in cooperation with the Union of Artists of Uzbekistan. The auction house located in Tashkent includes a publishing house, an art appraisal company, “Art Gallery” and a special laboratory for technological examination of works of art. In 2023, for the first time in the history of Uzbekistan, an auction of works of visual and applied art was successfully held.

The friendly relations of our country with far and near countries are developing day by day, and the relations with the brotherly nations, which were broken at one time, have been strengthened. Recently, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the Union of Artists of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, and it was agreed to sign a similar memorandum with the Union of Artists of Turkmenistan. Also, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Museum of Oriental Miniature Art named after Kamoliddin Behzod under the Academy of Arts and the National Museum of Iran, and projects are being developed.

As a result of attention to the field, the international reputation of the Academy of Arts is increasing. In the following years, the president of Kemyong University of the Republic of Korea Sin Il-hee, the director of the National Art Museum of Azerbaijan Chingiz Farzaliev, the president of the public fund of the Academy of Arts of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the famous Kazakh artist Amandos Akanaev, the national artist of Azerbaijan Sakit Mamedov were accepted as honorary foreign members of the Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan. In turn, People’s Artist of Uzbekistan, Academician Akmal Nuridinov, Director of the Gallery of Fine Arts of Uzbekistan, Academician Kamola Akilova received the title of Honorary Academician of the Academy of Arts of Kazakhstan.

Starting in 2023, it has become a tradition for the Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan to hold an exhibition of artists from Turkic countries in Tashkent in cooperation with the International Turkish Cultural Organization – TURKSOY.

Adequate conditions created in the field serve to hold the International Festival of Traditional Fine and Applied Arts, the Tashkent International Biennale of Contemporary Art, the Tashkent International Biennale of Applied Art, the “Tashkent Joys” Biennale of Children’s Paintings, and the International Sculpture Symposium at a high level. Thanks to these art conferences, many talents have been discovered, and the presentation of modern visual and applied artworks has created ample opportunities to strengthen the international exchange of experience in this regard. They play an important role in the international promotion and popularization of the attention paid to the industry in the new Uzbekistan, and in the establishment of mutual dialogue between industry representatives and craftsmen from different countries. A presentation of the book “Miniatures of Central Asia of the XV-XVII centuries” was held for foreign participants as part of the IV Tashkent International Biennale of Applied Arts held in 2023. In general, within the framework of these art weeks, scientific-practical conferences are held with the participation of representatives of prestigious foreign scientific institutions in the field, where current issues of global importance in the field of art are discussed and solutions are sought.

Cooperation relations with the world’s leading art academies, and specialized prestigious international educational institutions in the field are also expanding. The Academy has established cooperation with educational institutions in about 20 countries of the world in the field of artistic education. In addition to the CIS countries, memorandums of understanding establishing cooperation relations with educational institutions of countries such as the People’s Republic of China, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, Singapore, India, Turkey, Italy, and Belgium were signed. Based on these memorandums, the students of Uzbekistan had the opportunity to study abroad and have a creative exchange.

To create conditions for the training of qualified personnel in the art education system, in 2021, the Center for the Retraining of Pedagogues and Specialists in the field of art education and their professional development was established within the Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan. With this, the system of retraining of pedagogues and specialists in the fields of fine and applied art, design, art history, and museology and their qualification improvement was further improved. The training center, in turn, is establishing international relations. In this regard, memorandums of cooperation were signed with the Jawaharlal Nehru University of Architecture and Fine Arts of India and the College of Fine Arts at Kemyong University of the Republic of Korea.

A painting workshop was organized at the Art Academy. Talented young artists and well-known artists who have been educating specialists based on the master-student tradition have been attached to this Art Workshop. To support and encourage talented young people in the field, the State Scholarship named after Kamoliddin Behzod was established, and 21 students studying in higher education institutions in 2021-2023 were awarded this scholarship.

With the appropriate decision of the government, for the first time in the field of art education for schools specializing in visual arts, new generation educational literature on specialized subjects has been published. In 2022-2024, a total of 19 new national educational literature was delivered to artistic educational institutions.

In New Uzbekistan, great attention is being paid to educating the young generation in the spirit of devotion to universal and national values, deeply teaching young people about the legacy of artists who made a great contribution to the development of the industry, perpetuating their memory, and widely celebrating their birthdays. For this purpose, the Surkhandarya specialized art boarding school under the control of the Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan was named after the national artist of Uzbekistan Rozi Choriev, the specialized art boarding school of the Republic of Karakalpakstan was named after the real member of the Academy of Arts, the national artist of Uzbekistan Jollibay Izentaev. As a symbol of respect for the great painter Kamoliddin Behzod and his creative heritage, the Republic creative competition of “Followers of Kamoliddin Behzod” works of miniature and folk art is held regularly.

This year, the birthdays of famous visual artists who made a great contribution to the development of the culture and art of our country and the inspiration of our people with their unique creative heritage and active social activities are widely celebrated.

In particular, the 120th anniversary of the birth of the people’s artists of Uzbekistan – Orol Tansikboev and Iskandar Ikromov, the 90th anniversary of the birth of Mubarak Yoldoshev, the 70th anniversary of the birth of sculptor Jaloliddin Mirtojiev, the 90th anniversary of the birth of the national artist of Uzbekistan, painter Ikrom Bahromov, are being celebrated-educational events are being organized.

At the initiative of the head of the state, a program for the development of visual and applied arts is now being adopted. In particular, the Central Exhibition Hall will be reconstructed and equipped. A modern gallery building will be built on the territory of the art fund, and a center for young artists with 40 creative workshops will be established. To connect the education of calligraphy and miniature art with practice, a paper-making workshop will be organized nationally.

Such efforts are a practical expression of the state policy to support the field of fine and applied arts in New Uzbekistan.

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