Reforms to modernize health financing and governance in Tajikistan are being tested as part of a universal health coverage (UHC) pilot in the north of the country. The pilot, which launched in January 2025, has received presidential approval and is being implemented in Sughd region. The initiative paves the way for a nationwide scaling-up of the reforms, which are designed to deliver real, measurable improvements that matter to people, and to the health system as a whole. Funded by the European Union (EU) and the Universal Health Coverage Partnership (UHC-P) and supported by WHO, these reforms improve both the availability and the affordability of essential health services in the country.

Early data and testimonies from the pilot initiative indicate that facilities exercising new budgetary autonomy have begun streamlining procurement of essential medicines, investing in services which meet the specific community needs, and attracting and motivating much needed primary health care nurses and doctors. Districts with pooled budgets report more balanced distribution of resources across health facilities.

“This pilot is not just about new health financing mechanisms, it’s about people in Tajikistan getting the care they need without financial hardship,” said Dr Victor Olsavszky, WHO Representative in Tajikistan. “We’re already seeing encouraging signs that these changes can strengthen health service delivery on the ground.”