The huge potential of the domestic pharmaceutical sector has not been fully used before. In recent years, the industry has been identified as one of the drivers and is consistently developing.

By the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan of May 3, 2017, free economic zones specialized in pharmaceuticals were created in Nukus, Zaamin, Kasansay, Syrdarya, Baysun, Bostanlyk and Parkent districts. By the Decree of November 7 of the same year, the Agency for the Development of Pharmaceutical Industry under the Ministry of Health was established. Extensive conditions have been created for the cultivation and processing of medicinal plants, attracting investment and producing competitive products.

As a result, over the past five years, 71 new enterprises have been created. The production of more than 2.5 thousand types of medicines, 241 types of medical devices and 78 types of medical equipment has been established. The volume of pharmaceutical production has almost doubled.

But these results are not enough, it was noted at the event. Today, domestic enterprises meet only 55 percent of the needs of the domestic market in physical terms.

In the next five years, it is planned to increase production in the industry by 3 times and bring the indicator of providing the domestic market to 80 percent in physical terms. For this purpose, promising projects for 2022-2026 have been developed.

Information about these projects was presented during the presentation.

Thus, it is planned to implement 104 investment projects worth $1.25 billion. As a result, it is expected to create capacities for the production of import-substituting products for $376 million and the export of goods for $84 million. Most importantly, it is planned to provide about 9 thousand people with work.

Stressing the social and economic significance of these projects, the President instructed to accelerate their implementation.

The main attention was paid to the cultivation and processing of local medicinal plants.

Medicinal plants of 750 species grow on the territory of Uzbekistan. All conditions are created for the production of natural products based on them, which are in demand on the world market. In particular, the Presidential Resolution of 10 April 2020 defines additional measures for the protection, cultural cultivation and processing of wild medicinal plants, some districts are specialized in the cultivation of medicinal plants. 19 enterprises have been launched in this direction.

But, only 70 out of 750 types of medical plants are actively used by manufacturers.

The President noted that the deep processing of medicinal plants in the country can bring exports to $15 million and provide jobs for more than 5 thousand people. Responsible persons were instructed to expand production by creating industry clusters.

At the same time, the need was noted for paying special attention to the allocation of land for the cultivation of medicinal plants, the development of seed production and processing, training agronomists, formation of a consumer market for such plants.

Another major project is the Innovative Research and Production Pharmaceutical Cluster “Tashkent Pharma Park”. The modern center, organized by the Presidential Resolution of 28 January 2020 is being built in Tashkent region’s Zangiata district. In particular, a pharmaceutical university, a pharmacopoeia center, a research center, an expertise center, laboratories, a vivarium, a scientific and experimental production building are being built.

It is planned to implement another 7 investment projects worth $140 million.

Prospects for the production of biopharmaceuticals were also discussed.

Although Uzbekistan’s enterprises produce medicines of more than 3 thousand names, they are mainly single-component, simple drugs.

In this regard, the President noted the importance of organizing the production of innovative biotechnological drugs: oncological, hormonal, blood products, vaccines.

The importance of stimulating the production of domestic pharmaceutical products through public procurement in the healthcare system, simplifying the certification of products manufactured in accordance with international standards was noted.

Instructions were given for the development of cooperation between scientific institutions and industrial enterprises, the training of qualified specialists.

The task was set to develop a program for further development of the industry.