Significant changes in the five-year period of reforms in the pharmaceutical industry of Uzbekistan can be read in therview of the expert of the Center for Economic Research and Reforms Bakhtishod Hamidov.
Review of the CERR: Development of the pharmaceutical industry in Uzbekistan during the last 5 years
In 2016-2021, the Republic of Uzbekistan has achieved significant results in the pharmaceutical industry. In particular, drug manufacturers have been exempted from paying all taxes for 5 years. It is also one of the fastest growing markets in the CIS region in terms of growth dynamics (8-10% per year) in the pharmaceutical market of Uzbekistan.
The pharmaceutical industry in Uzbekistan began to develop since 1993. In the same year, the Uzpharmsanoat state concern was established, which included the Uzkimyofarm plant and the Vaccines Research and Production Association.
From 2017, more attention paid to the further development of this sector. During March 2017-2021, 44 documents were adopted to reform the pharmaceutical sector.
As a result, a legal basis has been created for increasing the volume of investments in the pharmaceutical industry of the country.
Manufacturers of medicines are exempted from paying all taxes for 5 years. Companies implementing projects for the establishment of new production facilities and the reconstruction of existing ones are exempted from paying all customs duties on the import of technological equipment.
The size of the pharmaceutical market
The pharmaceutical market of Uzbekistan is the third largest in the CIS after Russia and Ukraine. It is one of the fastest growing markets in the CIS region in terms of growth dynamics (8-10% per year).
Today, the Uzbek pharmaceutical market consumes 9,000 types of medicines, 1,684 types of medical devices and 1,529 types of medical equipment.
In 2020, the domestic market in the pharmaceutical sector reached to $1.4 billion, of which 17-20% was provided by domestic production.
According to the Agency for the Development of the Pharmaceutical Industry, today in the pharmaceutical market of Uzbekistan there are 669 wholesale organizations and 13,957 pharmacies and their branches engaged in the retail sale of medicines and medical devices.
Pharmaceutical industry of Uzbekistan
The number of pharmaceutical companies in Uzbekistan was only 2 in 1994, 68 in 2002 and 130 in 2012. By the end of 2020, 220 local pharmaceutical companies produced 1,271.8 million pharmaceutical products. The number of employees in the network reached 8,000 people.
The share of the pharmaceutical industry in the formation of the country's GDP
|
Years |
GDP (billion soums) |
Volume of pharmaceutical production |
Share in GDP,% |
|
2016 |
242,496 |
1,144 |
0.47 |
|
2018 |
406,649 |
1,440 |
0.35 |
|
2020 |
580,203 |
2,470 |
0.43 |
From the local enterprises, 102 specialize in the production of medicines, 30 in medical equipment, 80 in medical devices and 8 in medicines and medical devices.
At present, the number of products registered by local pharmaceutical companies exceeds 3,524 (3,147 types of medicines, 280 types of medical devices, 97 types of medical equipment).
Source: Pharmaceutical Industry Development Agency
Bakhtishod Hamidov, Center for Economic Research and Reform
