The price of health in Uzbekistan: How much do people spend on medicine?

In Uzbekistan, medicines are among the most frequently purchased products. On some streets in the capital, the number of pharmacies even exceeds that of grocery stores, reflecting the high demand for pharmaceuticals.

According to the State Tax Committee's analysis of fiscal receipts provided to Kun.uz, in 2024, Uzbeks spent over 19.7 trillion UZS on medicines. Of this amount, more than 15.7 trillion UZS was spent on imported pharmaceuticals, while 4 trillion UZS went toward locally manufactured drugs.

The highest per capita expenditures were recorded in the following regions:

- Tashkent city – 1.7 million UZS
- Bukhara region – 746 thousand UZS
- Samarkand region – 660.7 thousand UZS

Regions with the lowest expenditures:

- Kashkadarya region – 308.9 thousand UZS
- Republic of Karakalpakstan – 302.3 thousand UZS
- Surkhandarya region – 289.5 thousand UZS

Overall, the highest spending on medicines last year was recorded in Tashkent city (5 trillion UZS), Samarkand region (2.6 trillion UZS), and Fergana region (1.5 trillion UZS).

The largest share of spending was allocated to medicines used for the treatment of the following diseases:

- Cardiovascular diseases
- Infectious diseases
- Pain relief medications
- Nervous system disorders
- Gastrointestinal diseases

Medicine imports

According to the Customs Committee, in 2024, Uzbekistan imported $1.744 billion worth of pharmaceuticals and medical products. Of this, $1.5 billion was allocated to medicines imported specifically for retail trade.

For comparison, last year, Uzbekistan imported $0.5 billion worth of meat products, $258 million worth of flour and flour products, and $373 million worth of vegetable oils. The total import value of food products amounted to $3.917 billion.