European Union Supports Dialogue on Strengthening Integrity and Transparency in Uzbekistan’s Healthcare Procurement
On 23–24 June 2026, the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan, together with the U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Anti-Corruption Agency, and The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, convened the two-day workshop “Addressing Corruption in Uzbekistan’s Health Sector: A Look at Procurement Risks and Conflicts of Interest” in Tashkent to address corruption risks and conflicts of interest in healthcare procurement. The event brought together government officials, anti-corruption practitioners, healthcare professionals, international experts, and development partners to discuss practical solutions for strengthening integrity, transparency, and accountability in the health sector.
Public procurement plays a critical role in ensuring access to quality healthcare services and medicines. However, procurement processes can be vulnerable to corruption risks, particularly where complex procedures, discretionary decision-making, and weak oversight mechanisms create opportunities for abuse. Such vulnerabilities can result in financial losses, inefficient use of public resources, reduced service quality, and threats to patient safety.
In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister of Health Mr Jaloliddin Asamutdinov reaffirmed Uzbekistan’s commitment to strengthening integrity within the healthcare system and highlighted ongoing reforms aimed at improving transparency and efficiency. In recent years, Uzbekistan has undertaken significant reforms to modernize its public procurement framework. These include the introduction of a new Law on Public Procurement, the expansion of digital procurement systems, enhanced monitoring tools, and measures to improve oversight of high-value contracts. In 2024, Uzbekistan also adopted a dedicated Law on Conflict of Interest, establishing procedures for identifying, disclosing, and managing conflicts of interest across the public sector.
The workshop provided an opportunity to assess the implementation of these reforms in the healthcare sector and identify additional measures that could further strengthen safeguards against corruption. Participants examined corruption and conflicts of interest risks across the procurement cycle and explored global best practices to address them, including how the internationally proven methods can be adapted to Uzbekistan’s institutional and regulatory context. To complement the national reform perspective, international experts from the U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and leading academic institutions contributed to the event.
The workshop concluded with a shared commitment among participants to continue strengthening integrity and accountability in healthcare procurement. Key recommendations highlighted the importance of effective enforcement of procurement and conflict-of-interest legislation, enhanced institutional oversight, continued digitalization, further capacity-building for public officials, and sustained cooperation among government institutions, international partners, and civil society.
By fostering dialogue and knowledge exchange, the workshop contributes to ongoing efforts to ensure that public resources are managed transparently and effectively, helping to improve healthcare outcomes and strengthen public confidence in state institutions. The event was organized with the support of U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre and the project ‘’Improving Governance in Uzbekistan – Inclusive Corruption Prevention’’, implemented by GIZ and co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
For additional information and materials about the Improving Governance in Uzbekistan – Inclusive Corruption Prevention project, please contact the Project Manager of Good Governance Program Dr. Viktor Kessler: E-mail: viktor.kessler@giz.de;