On November 22, the President Mirziyoyev signed the Improving the system of monitoring and diagnosing cervical and breast cancer Decree. The Decree has approved a plan of measures to implement the program to control these diseases.
An e-database of women aged 30-65 will be created in primary care, and a system for inviting them to medical examinations will be created.
Every year, women aged 30-50 will be screened for cervical cancer by detecting the human papillomavirus using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and liquid cytology tests. Women who have negative test results will undergo a repeat examination in 10 years. In case of a positive result, they will be sent for additional examinations.
Should precancerous conditions be found, women will be sent for outpatient treatment to the Republican Specialized Scientific and Practical Medical Center for Maternal and Child Health and its regional branches.
In addition, every two years, a primary selection of women aged 30-65 years will be conducted for breast examination. For women under 45, the examination will be carried out using ultrasound diagnostics, and for women over 45, using mammography.
All costs associated with the diagnosis and treatment of oncological diseases detected during screening will be covered by the state budget.
From January 1, 2025, new staff units will be created in district and city multidisciplinary central polyclinics. This is an obstetrician-gynecologist for the oncology control room, as well as X-ray laboratory technicians who will ensure the operation of mobile and stationary mammographs.
A Mammography Image Decoding Center will be organized at the Republican Specialized Scientific and Practical Medical Center of Oncology and Radiology. This center will ensure the integration of breast cancer screening results conducted in district medical associations into a single system.
Non-governmental medical organizations will also be involved in cervical and breast cancer screening. The prices for the purchase of these services will be approved by the Ministry of Health in agreement with the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Committee for the Development of Competition and Consumer Protection.
Starting in the 2025-2026 academic year, the Republican Center for Maternal and Child Health will begin training courses for gynecologists in screening for cervical and breast cancer. Modules on training in screening and early diagnosis of these diseases will be included in the programs of clinical residency, master's degree, as well as in advanced training and retraining courses for specialists in gynecology and oncology.
The document also provides for educational activities. The Association of Mahallas of Uzbekistan, the Family and Women's Committee, together with the Ministry of Health, will organize explanatory work among women and their families aimed at the prevention, early detection and treatment of oncological diseases, as well as their consequences.
A mobile app for feedback will be developed for women included in the screening program. By May 1, a system for assessing and monitoring the quality of cervical cancer screening and early diagnosis of breast cancer will also be implemented, and a screening registry will be organized
Taking into account foreign experience, national clinical protocols for screening precancerous diseases, cervical cancer, as well as for early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer will be approved.
A large-scale information campaign on the prevention of dangerous tumor diseases is planned. The campaign will be aimed at various target groups, including adolescents, women and men, and will cover television, radio, the Internet and print media. It is planned to place banners on large-format outdoor advertising objects and regularly show informational videos in busy places.
