DUSHANBE, January 8, 2014, Asia-Plus — Deputies of Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament have seconded government’s offer to postpone implementation of part of the health insurance law, which concerns the mandatory health insurance, until 2017.
A regular sitting of the fifth session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the fourth convocation, presided over by its head, Shukurjon Zuhurov, was held on January 8.
Speaking at the session, the Minister of Health and Social Protection Nusratullo Salimov noted that the offer resulted from shortage of budget allocations earmarked for the mandatory health insurance.
“Due to financial shortage the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Labor and the Tax Committee consider that there do not appear to be sufficient reasons for putting this law into effect this year,” Salimov noted.
This year, 6.9 percent of the total volume of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) will be spent on the health sector, but much more is needed for implementation of this law, the minister noted. “For example, in Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Estonia this figure exceeds 10 percent,” Salimov said.
The minister also noted that GDP per capita in Tajikistan was currently recorded at 951 U.S. dollars while in Kyrgyzstan – 1,290 U.S. dollars, in Moldova – 3,424 U.S. dollars, and in Estonia – more than 23,000 U.S. dollars.
