20.07.2020

Early this morning, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev started the new week with profound critical analysis of the efforts undertaken in the country to combat the coronavirus infection.

Thus, a video session chaired by the head of state sought to discuss the current state of affairs in Tashkent and the capital region and measures to address it.

Speaking to the meeting participants, the President stressed that the situation remains complicated. In particular, out of 2,136 cases detected in the country over the past four days, 1,218 (57 percent) are in the city of Tashkent and the capital region.

The procedure has been determined for admitting all patients with suspected coronavirus to hospitals without documents confirming the presence of infection, based on clinical signs of pneumonia and respiratory failure.

In addition to the 16 operating clinics in Tashkent, 7 more provisional clinics with 850 beds have been created for patients with suspected COVID-19. The medical personnel of these clinics will be made additional payments in the amount of 6 percent of the monthly salary for each working day.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted that from now on, bank ATMs will be set up in each medical institution working with patients with coronavirus to pay out wages to doctors on the spot for a 14-day period.

Hospitals for patients with coronavirus were provided with an additional 285 lung artificial ventilation devices, 155 ventilators to support breath, 140 oxygen concentrators and 200 functional beds.

A distribution center for 500 beds is being created at the Uzexpocenter National Exhibition Complex to provide first aid to patients with suspected COVID-19.

Private clinics are also allowed to provide medical care to such patients; a list of such institutions is currently being developed.

A procedure has been established in accordance with which the district departments of the Agency for Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare send the results of the PCR analysis for coronavirus not to the national head office of the Agency, but directly to those examined, to reduce the waiting time.

The working conditions of operators at Tashkent ambulance stations have been improved; the number of those working in one shift has grown from 40 to 100. An additional power line was connected to the station, and the number of rapid reaction teams increased to 250.

In addition, 100 Damas ambulance units were allocated for the ambulance service in Tashkent region, 25 of which were distributed locally.

In the capital province, there are 906 beds for the treatment and monitoring of persons with suspected coronavirus, 210 beds for persons with a confirmed diagnosis, a reserve of 350 beds has been prepared.

It is planned to allocate the first 10 billion soums to create a reserve of 49 types of medicines for the treatment of patients with coronavirus.

The dial-up time to telephone number 103 has been reduced from 1.5 minutes to 15 seconds, it was noted at the meeting, and that the work of the most experienced operators was established during the rush period of calls (from 18:00 to 24:00h).

Meanwhile, the President pointed to the non-systematic organization of work on the ground to contain the pandemic.

In particular, primary healthcare, that is, family polyclinics and rural medical stations, have not been transferred to a round-the-clock operation.

Although there are between 50 and 200 medical workers in each of Tashkent’s 11 district multidisciplinary centers and 64 family polyclinics, most of them receive patients only in the first half of the day.

Each polyclinic should have a mobile team of 3 doctors to advise patients with mild or asymptomatic COVID-19, but unfortunately, some teams do not have a physician at all.

Almost all clinics have X-ray diagnostic rooms, but their equipment is used rarely.

If these clinics provide the population with effective patronage services, the pressure on the ambulance 103 would decrease with public panic prevented.

Deputy Prime Minister Behzod Musayev and the Ministry of Health have been instructed to fully mobilize 75 polyclinics of the capital, more than 3,000 doctors and nurses working in these institutions, to provide 24-hour service to patients with mild and asymptomatic infection.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev also urged the officials to develop incentive mechanisms for doctors and nurses engaged in these works.

In addition, oxygen demand increased dramatically during the pandemic. The head of our state said that in the multidisciplinary clinic of the Tashkent Medical Academy, the Republican Specialized Center for Therapy and Medical Rehabilitation, the Tashkent City Clinical Hospital No.1, the Republican Clinical Hospitals No.1 and 2, and in all recently opened provisional clinics, it is necessary to boost the number of oxygen points by more than 1,000.

The President insisted that the Tashkent city hokimiyat, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and hokims of each district be accountable for the regular replenishment of medical institutions with oxygen.

In foreign countries, for each patient with pneumonia, a special mask with an oxygen concentrator is immediately put on and air flow is facilitated, blood oxygen saturation is monitored using a pulse oximeter. The Prime Minister is instructed to take measures for the prompt delivery of this medical equipment to our country.

It was noted that for this purpose, a special airplane will be allocated if necessary, and in addition, it is necessary to facilitate the imports of oxygen concentrators by entrepreneurs.

The hokimiyats of Tashkent and the Tashkent region will allocate 20 and 10 billion soums, respectively, to the Dori-Darmon joint stock company as working capital to create stocks of medicines.

Almost all specialized medical institutions are filled with coronavirus patients, the head of state informed. As a result, patients with chronic diseases are almost deprived of qualified medical care.

Responsible executives have been instructed to take measures to restore qualified medical care to patients with chronic diseases by transferring COVID-19 patients from specialized hospitals to other institutions, including private clinics.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted that the number of people infected with the coronavirus may increase. In this regard, the task has been set to multiply the number of beds for the treatment of patients with this disease at least twofold to threefold, using university dormitories, indoor sports venues and other large-capacity buildings.

Efforts will continue to mitigate the pandemic impact and bolster the responsibility of each manager, and stimulate the selfless work of medical personnel.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev instructed to introduce proposals for awarding doctors who risk their lives and save the lives of patients, struggling in the very epicenter of the ailment.

Today, any expenditures funded from the national and local budgets, the President underscored, ought to be directed as a matter of priority to combating the pandemic. There can be no more important expenses, the head of state suggested.

Hokims of towns and districts are accountable for monitoring the situation in each hospital 24 hours a day and for creating conditions for their smooth operation.

In addition, in order to ensure the steadfast operation of the newly acquired ambulances, the task was set to attract qualified drivers from various sectors of the economy, primarily from public transport, who have lost income due to the temporary suspension of activities.

The President insisted that all sector leaders start their working day by studying the state of affairs in hospitals in their areas.

Every executive must understand that there is no more important task today than protecting the health of our citizens, Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized.