The implementation of the state programs “Healthy generation”, “Mother and Child” and “On the measures of realization of priority directions in enhancing medical culture in families, improvement of women’s health, raising a healthy generation” aiming to protect motherhood and childhood, has made it possible to significantly reduce maternal and infant mortality rate. As a member of the United Nations Organization, Uzbekistan seeks to carry out its obligations to achieve goals of millennium development in terms of reducing maternal and infant mortality rate by 2015 as compared to year 2000 for one third. In 2000 mortality rate was 20 per 1000 births while in 2005 this indicator dropped to 15, and this tendency is strengthening. Maternal mortality at birth has also dropped from 33,1 per 100 thousand successful births in 2000 to 30,8 in 2005. The achievement of such positive dynamics has been possible due to the endeavors undertaken within the framework of the above-mentioned programs and a number events carried out in cooperation with international organizations such as WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, JICA, German Bank KfW, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.

- Children’s health begins with the creation of a healthy family, with healthy young people who form families. It is no secret that the region faces problems of iron and iodine deficiency, which cannot help affecting people’s health. In order to tackle these people, the Republic initiated programs on flour improvement and salt iodination. Of equal importance is for young people to be aware of their health conditions before forming families. In 2004 Uzbekistan introduced a system of pre-nuptial medical examination. Couples may want to take into consideration each other’s health conditions before getting married. This is very important in preventing the birth of children with poor health.

Doctors note that in order to protect mothers and infants it is necessary to provide for a reliable mechanism for protecting the population’s reproductive health. With the assistance provided by UNICEF, a Republican Center for reproductive health and a Republican Center for teenagers’ reproductive health were created, which would help bring the necessary infrastructure. Each of them has branches in regions. It is noteworthy that the number of people applying to these centers for assitance is growing. Alongside this direction, Uzbek medical personnel and KfW Bank are working to implement the program “Assistance to reproductive health I-II”, whose cost totaled 5,6 million euros. Within the framework of the program, medical establishments of seven regions of the Republic have been provided with audiovisual and computer equipment and automobiles.

Up-to-date medical technologies help detect possible defects in the development of a fetus at an early stage of pregnancy. To preclude birth of children with genetic disease accompanied by mental abnormalities and to detect fetus abnormality, “Mother and child screening” program is being implemented within the framework of which 11 screening centers have been established. The centers keep expectant mothers informed of the health condition of their future infants.

In keeping mothers’ and their infants’ health in good shape, a significant role is assigned to assistance during birth. Many maternity homes of the Republic were in need of renovation, and their personnel in the improvement of their skills and qualifications. In 2005, an investment project totaling $40 million was launched in cooperation with the Asian Development Bank for the purpose of tackling the above-mentioned problem. The project provides for the supply of 89 maternity homes in Karakalpakstan, Khorezm, Bukhara, Fergana, Tashkent and Kashkadarya regions with modern medical equipment as well as blood transfusion centers and specialist training.

A newly born infant who is vulnerable to all kinds of disease needs protection from them. To this end, the number of infants that have been inoculated against infectious childhood illnesses has substantially grown. This, in turn, reduced the incidence of polio, measles, tuberculosis, acute viral hepatitis B and diphtheria among infants.

- These children undoubtedly need special attention and are not left without medical assistance and public support. For the past nine months, with the assistance of the Fund “For a healthy generation”, we have conducted 15,47 million dollars worth of surgeries on 230 infants with congenital palate and lip abnormalities. A total of 762 infants have undergone this kind of medical treatment since 2003. Considerable help has been rendered by the international humanitarian organization “Friedensdorf International” which in the current year has conducted medical checkups for 370 children in Surkhandarya, Kashkadarya, Bukhara, Navoi, Jizak, Syrdarya regions and Tashkent, and financed the medical treatment of 27 of them in clinics in Germany.

-Absolutely, we constantly struggle to improve doctors’ qualifications. In this regard, the Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic works both independently and in cooperation with foreign and international organizations. Thus, in 2002, the Institute of Continuing Medical Certification was restored. Moreover, around 60 students have enrolled in it this year. Since 2003, the Ministry of Healthcare in association with the European society of anesthetists and reanimators have been conducting trainings of local specialists with the participation of leading scientist of France, Poland, Russia and other countries. Within the framework of the cooperation with the Ministry of Healthcare of Ukraine, since 2002 - 332 Uzbek specialists working in the sphere of mother and child protection have upgraded their skills and qualifications at the Medical Academy of Post-Diploma Education of Ukraine.   

It is gratifying to note that the quality of Uzbek medics’ work in mother and child protection have been highly appraised by international experts. Thus, in September of 2001 at the 8th session of WHO in Istanbul, the Republic received a certificate stating that “the Republic is free of wild strains that cause poliomyelitis”. Also, 32 maternity complexes and 19 rural medical centers of the Republic have UNICEF certificates “Friendly attitude toward a child”.