Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — In anticipation of Uzbekistan’s 33rd Independence Day, new significant projects are being launched across the country, including educational and medical institutions as well as infrastructure facilities. On 29 August, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed the ongoing development activities in the capital.

In 2021, President Mirziyoyev visited the old building of the Republican Specialized Scientific and Practical Medical Center of Oncology and Radiology and gave instructions to improve conditions in this field. This led to the adoption of a resolution on "Further improvement of the system of providing hematological and oncological services to the population."

As part of these efforts, extensive work has been done to enhance the quality of treatment. A separate Center for Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Clinical Immunology was established. Additionally, 22 radiotherapy machines were delivered to oncology hospitals, and funding for chemotherapy was increased 11-fold to reach US$13 million. Around 250 new diagnostic and treatment methods have been introduced in regional and district facilities.

The resolution also called for the construction of a new complex for the Republican Oncology Center. The complex was designed based on the experience of South Korean clinics. Over three years, meticulous work was carried out, resulting in a modern hospital being built on an area of more than 5 hectares next to the Tashkent Medical Academy.

The new complex consists of 9 structures, with the main buildings having 8 floors. It provides all the necessary conditions for doctors and patient care. The first floor houses the polyclinic and diagnostic equipment, the second floor includes the laboratory, inpatient departments, intensive care, and surgical departments, while the upper floors contain patient wards. The underground section of the complex accommodates radiotherapy, nuclear medicine, and utility rooms.

Previously, the hospital had 370 beds. The new center provides accommodations for 650 inpatients and 80 day patients, and offers outpatient care for up to 500 people per day.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev inspected the new center and familiarized himself with its capabilities.

“We pay great attention to education and medicine. If people are educated and healthy, they can find their way. This center is one of such achievements. We allocated 1.2 trillion soums for this project and built it from scratch. US$80 million was allocated for equipping all oncology hospitals. Now, the main task is training the staff and effective management,” said Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The new center, organized according to the standards of European and American clinics, features 17 clinical departments, 18 operating rooms, and 42 intensive care and resuscitation wards, equipped with the latest medical equipment.

For example, the MAGNETOM Altea MRI scanner from Siemens automates workflows using artificial intelligence. The Senaria CT scanner from Fuji provides precise diagnostics with low radiation doses and high image quality. Multi-slice CT scanners with resolutions of 128 and 256 slices can detect even the smallest tumors in thin slices, making them 8–16 times more effective than previous models.

Around 100 specialists were trained in 8 foreign countries to operate the new equipment. In total, 1,200 oncologists across the country will undergo training abroad.

The surgical department of the center is capable of performing up to 6,000 high-tech surgeries annually, including vital bone marrow transplantation procedures. The advanced equipment allows for the removal of tumors in the eyes, throat, and esophagus without incisions, and bladder tumors using minimally invasive methods, which speeds up patient recovery and enables discharge within 3–5 days.

In the intensive care unit, each bed is equipped with cardiac monitors, ventilators, and other modern equipment.

For the first time, a nuclear medicine department for radiotherapy has been created. It includes 9 bunkers, and in the event of a breakdown in one, the procedure can continue in another, ensuring uninterrupted treatment. New radiation therapy methods such as VMAT and SMAT will be implemented using linear accelerators.

Outpatient chemotherapy is designed for 72 patients, and the introduction of new infusion equipment makes treatment simpler and faster.

The president gave instructions to digitize the center’s operations and improve patient convenience.

“The main task is digitization. People should not waste time in queues. This center should be integrated with 15 regional hospitals so that patients know the time of their visit and the name of their doctor.

It is necessary to actively use artificial intelligence and minimize the human factor,” emphasized the president.

The center and its regional branches will be connected to a unified electronic platform, and a "cancer registry" system will be launched in the republic, providing access to comprehensive data on cancer patients.

Information was also presented about the unified medical system Dmed, which will be fully implemented in Tashkent by the end of this year and subsequently throughout the country.

The center places special emphasis on the combination of science and practice. Scientific research will be conducted in the fields of positron emission and single-photon emission computed tomography, as well as molecular genetic diagnostics of tumors. These studies will be integrated into clinical practice for personalized targeted and immunotherapeutic treatment.

As a result of the use of new equipment and the creation of modern conditions, the effectiveness of early diagnosis and treatment of cancer in the center will significantly increase, reducing mortality, improving cure rates, and increasing patient longevity. The center will also serve as a base for the development of medical tourism.