The key facts
- The bill was adopted in second reading and sent to the Senate; the holiday is proposed to be observed on the second Sunday of November
- Over 50,000 pharmaceutical specialists, 504 manufacturing enterprises, 478 distribution organizations and more than 14,000 pharmacies operate in the country
- Adoption of the law will not require additional funds from the state budget
Bill Adopted in Second Reading
On October 20, the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis adopted in second reading and sent to the Senate a bill providing for a change in the name of the professional holiday. The document amends the law 'On Establishing Medical Workers' Day of the Republic of Uzbekistan': the wording 'medical workers' is replaced with 'medical and pharmaceutical workers'. The holiday is still proposed to be observed on the second Sunday of November. The bill was developed by the Ministry of Health in fulfillment of instructions given by the president at a meeting with medical and pharmaceutical workers. According to the chamber's press service, adoption of the law will not require additional expenses from the state budget.
Industry Statistics and Purpose of the Amendment
The bill at the session was presented by Bakhtiyor Ortikov, deputy chairman of the Committee on Labor, Healthcare and Social Issues. According to him, the document is aimed at raising the status of pharmaceutical workers in society and giving due recognition to the labor of specialists providing the population with quality pharmaceutical services. He noted that the current law only establishes Medical Workers' Day, while pharmaceutical workers are not mentioned separately. The amendments are also intended to ensure consistency with the concepts used in the laws 'On Protecting Citizens' Health' and 'On Medicines and Pharmaceutical Activities'. According to data presented in the chamber, more than 50,000 pharmaceutical specialists work in Uzbekistan, with 504 pharmaceutical manufacturing enterprises, 478 distribution organizations and more than 14,000 pharmacies operating.
Deputy Asked About a Separate Holiday for Pharmacists
During the discussion, Zafar Khudoyberdiyev, a member of the Committee on the Development of Democratic Institutions and Civil Society, asked why the holiday of pharmaceutical workers is being combined with Medical Workers' Day. According to him, the briefing stated that foreign experience had been studied and that in a number of countries Pharmaceutical Workers' Day is observed separately — on September 25. The deputy asked why Uzbekistan had not considered the possibility of establishing a separate holiday date. Bakhtiyor Ortikov replied that in the current legislation the concepts of medical and pharmaceutical workers are used together, so the bill proposes a common holiday for both categories.
Position of the Chamber Speaker
Speaker of the Legislative Chamber Nurdinjon Ismoilov also spoke on the issue. He emphasized that medicine and pharmacy are close and mutually complementary fields, and, in his opinion, establishing a common holiday for them is not in itself wrong. At the same time, he called the deputy's question about international experience and a separate celebration of Pharmaceutical Workers' Day appropriate. According to the speaker, if the bill's developers rely on international experience, they must give a clear answer as to why a different approach was chosen in Uzbekistan.
Background of the Initiative
The bill was prepared for second reading after approval in first reading; during the discussion, legal and technical changes were made to the document's title. The deputies reviewed the articles of the document, approved its adoption in second reading, and then decided to send the document to the Senate. It is noted that in November 2025, during a visit to the Tashkent State Medical University, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev proposed renaming Medical Workers' Day as Medical and Pharmaceutical Workers' Day, emphasizing the interconnectedness of these fields and putting forward the initiative of a joint celebration.
