On 7 October 2026, the opening ceremony and plenary session of the Second International Conference «Universal Health Coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals» were held in the Avaza National Tourist Zone. The Conference was dedicated to important issues related to improving the healthcare system and advancing global sustainable development.
The main objective of this international event is to provide an effective platform for exchanging experience in improving healthcare systems at the regional and global levels, coordinating efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, and becoming acquainted with the latest advances in medical science and practice.
The plenary session of the Conference was opened and chaired by Myratberdi Gayypov, Minister of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan. Addresses on the importance of regional and international cooperation in this field were delivered by Chairperson of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Valentina Matviyenko, Chairperson of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan Dunyagozel Gulmanova, Acting Director of the WHO Regional Office for Europe Corinne Capuano, Deputy Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Independent States Denis Trefilov, Director General of the “NMRM” Radiological Centre of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation and Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Andrey Kaprin, Member of the Health Committee of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ahliman Amiraslanov, Member of the Standing Commission of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus on Legislation and State Building Lyudmila Sapego, Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan Akmaral Alnazarova, Deputy Chairperson of the Committee of the Majlisi Milli of the Majlisi Oli of the Republic of Tajikistan on Social Affairs, Healthcare, Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Women’s Policy Nuriddin Mukhiddin, Minister of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan Eldor Adilov, and Biljana Milošević, Head of the Regional Office of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
In her address, Chairperson of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan D. Gulmanova particularly emphasized that caring for people and their health is currently one of the priority areas of the state policy pursued in Turkmenistan under the leadership of our esteemed President. Guided by the constitutional principle that the individual is the highest value of society and the state, our country carries out effective work to protect human health, improve the health of the population, prevent and eradicate diseases, as well as to develop the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries to the level of advanced international standards.
Large-scale, long-term programme activities aimed at consistently strengthening the universal healthcare system and achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are being successfully implemented in our country.
Within the framework of the State Programme of the President of Turkmenistan «Health», the material and technical base and the legal framework of the healthcare system are being consistently improved.
Throughout Turkmenistan, medical centers, treatment and preventive healthcare institutions, sanitary and epidemiological service facilities, sanatoriums and pharmaceutical enterprises equipped with modern medical technology, as well as modern recreational, sports and tourism facilities are being consistently constructed and commissioned.
International relations play an important role in the development of healthcare and the pharmaceutical industry. On the basis of Agreements and Memoranda concluded in this field, effective cooperation is maintained with leading medical centres around the world, prestigious higher educational institutions, as well as renowned scientists and medical professionals.
Consistent work is also being carried out at the parliamentary level in our country to improve universal healthcare services and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The necessary legal framework is being established for the implementation of our national programmes. The continuous improvement of healthcare legislation and the protection of motherhood and childhood are among the principal tasks of the national Parliament.
Our country has legislative acts establishing standards for the protection of human health and ensuring the sanitary and epidemiological safety of the population, defining the legal foundations for the provision of medicines, and regulating relations in this field.
Among the contemporary tasks are the complete digitalization’s of the healthcare sector, the establishment of a regulatory and legal framework for the introduction of telemedicine and artificial intelligence, as well as the legislative consolidation of the phased integration of the potential of sanatorium-based and preventive medicine into the universal healthcare system.
Such activities at the parliamentary level broaden the opportunities for the successful implementation of planned measures aimed at achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in particular the goal related to «Good Health and Well-Being».
By promoting peace, friendship and mutual understanding through medical diplomacy, Turkmenistan makes a worthy contribution to building a healthy and secure future for all humanity.
In this regard, Turkmenistan successfully implements joint programmes and projects with international organizations such as the United Nations, the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund.
The main objective of the «National Strategy for the Development of Scientific and Medical Diplomacy in Turkmenistan for 2026–2052» is to comprehensively develop medical science in the country, elevate international cooperation in healthcare to a new level, and coordinate global efforts in this field.
The centuries-old traditions of humanism, kindness and compassion of the Turkmen people are today being enriched with new meaning and substance at the state level. In this regard, the noble activities carried out at the national and international levels by the Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov Charitable Foundation for Assistance to Children in Need of Guardianship are a source of particular pride.
Using the resources of the Foundation, children in various regions of our country receive comprehensive medical treatment and appropriate assistance free of charge. Children’s hospitals are also regularly provided with modern medical equipment and high-tech ambulances. This humanitarian mission extends beyond our country to the international arena. The Foundation regularly provides assistance to children affected by natural disasters and economic hardships in various parts of the world. These noble activities are yet another vivid demonstration of Turkmenistan’s commitment to the principles of peace, good-neighborliness and high humanism.
Within the framework of its chairmanship of the CIS and during the period proclaimed in the CIS as the «Year of Healthcare», Turkmenistan contributes to strengthening interregional cooperation in this field through new ideas and concrete projects.
The speakers focused attention on important issues related to improving the healthcare system, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and strengthening international cooperation, and also presented their views on the forthcoming tasks in modernizing the legal foundations of contemporary medicine. They also highly appreciated the positive initiatives put forward by Turkmenistan and the large-scale activities being implemented in this area.
The participants of the Conference expressed their wishes for the further development of regional and international cooperation of global significance and conveyed their profound gratitude to the esteemed President of Turkmenistan and the National Leader of the Turkmen people for the opportunities created to hold this International Conference at a high organizational level.
