Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia Sign Healthcare Cooperation Agreements

Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia have formalized an expansion of their healthcare collaboration through the signing of several agreements. These documents, focused on advancing the medical and pharmaceutical sectors, were signed in Tashkent on July 27 during a visit by a Saudi delegation led by Health Minister Fahd bin Abdulrahman Al-Jalajel.

During discussions involving Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khojayev, Health Minister Eldor Adilov, and Deputy Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade Shokhrukh Gulyamov, alongside the Saudi delegation, various avenues for cooperation were explored. These included enhancing medical infrastructure, attracting investments, digitalizing healthcare services, medical insurance, workforce development, and the production of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment.

A key focus of the discussions was the proposed 800-bed multidisciplinary medical complex in the Ferghana Region. This project, structured as a public-private partnership with Vision Invest, aims to implement contemporary standards for medical service delivery and management.

The same day also featured an Uzbek-Saudi roundtable, which gathered representatives from governmental bodies, medical institutions, and specialized companies from both nations. Attendees included Tamila Aliyeva, deputy head of the Presidential Administration, Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khojayev, and Health Minister Eldor Adilov, among other government officials.

The roundtable concluded with the signing of several agreements: a cooperation program between Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Health and SEHA Virtual Hospital, a healthcare insurance cooperation program, and memorandums of understanding between Uzbek and Saudi entities such as UZINFOCOM, Lean Business Services, NUPCO, Health Holding, and Vision Invest.

Khojayev remarked at the event that healthcare is emerging as a promising domain within the strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia. He noted that the two countries' joint investment portfolio encompasses 48 projects valued at US$24.8 billion, with cooperation steadily extending into new sectors, including healthcare.

The implementation of these agreements is anticipated to broaden public access to high-quality healthcare, accelerate the technological advancement of the sector, and generate further opportunities for investment and growth within the private healthcare sector.