Uzbekistan to add allowances for healthcare workers, Apple Pay and Google Pay launched, sugar imports restricted

Allowances and bonuses for healthcare workers

On October 27, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, at a meeting with healthcare and pharmaceutical workers in Koksaray, announced new measures of material incentives. Regional competitions will be held for the title of best doctor and nurse; winners will receive 30 million soums each, and next year 14 doctors — winners of the regional stage — will be awarded electric vehicles. The author of the five best projects promoting a healthy lifestyle will receive a grant of 200 million soums each. Kun.uz reported this.

Allowance system and free residency

The allowances are differentiated by level of education and specialty: a nurse with a bachelor's degree will receive an additional 1.5 million soums, with a master's degree — 2.5 million soums, and a narrow specialist in family medicine — 5.5 million soums. From 2027, training in residency in narrow specialties will become free, and students will receive a scholarship of 3 million soums. Thus, the announced measures combine one-time bonuses with permanent allowances and changes in training conditions — that is, part of the decisions concerns future specialists, not only current ones.

Apple Pay and Google Pay launched in Uzbekistan

On the same day, October 27, it became possible in a number of Uzbek banking apps to link a bank card to Apple Pay and Google Pay. These are contactless payment services via smartphone or smartwatch: Google Pay works on Android devices (usually through the Google Wallet app), Apple Pay — on iPhone, Apple Watch and other compatible Apple devices. To pay, the card is added to an electronic wallet, after which the device is held near a terminal supporting contactless payments.

Sugar import quotas from 2027

From January 1, 2027, quotas on imports of white sugar with a total volume of 300,000 tons per year will be introduced for food industry enterprises of Uzbekistan. This is provided for by a Cabinet of Ministers resolution that is closed to the public: the quotas are distributed equally — 100,000 tons each to producers of beverages, confectionery and other food products. From the same date, state organizations, when purchasing sugar, must first buy products of local producers; state reserves will be formed from these enterprises, and the entire volume of products will be sold through the exchange. Since the document is closed, details of the mechanism remain unknown; the outlet notes that the restriction will affect prices.

Possible deterioration of air quality in Tashkent

The Hydrometeorological Service reported on October 26 that during the week the capital is expected to have dry and relatively warm weather: 18–20 degrees during the day, about 8–10 at night. Atmospheric inversion is forecast until November 1. The absence of rain, weak wind and inversion may slow the natural cleansing of the air, as a result of which the concentration of dust and other pollutants may rise or remain high until the end of the week.