January 15, 2014
14th january – the day of Defenders of the homeland.. 2
Trustworthy Defenders of Motherland.. 2
Uzmetkombinat produces 746,200 tonnes of steel in 2013. 3
2014 YEAR – THE YEAR OF HEALTHY CHILD.. 4
Domestic telecommunications market introduces new technologies. 6
Press-service of MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan
14th january – the day of Defenders of the homeland
Trustworthy Defenders of Motherland
An official meeting occasioned to the Day of Motherland Defenders has taken place at Tashkent’s Turkiston Palace.
Our national armed forces constitute a reliable guarantor of the peaceful life and harmony reigning in the country, the security of the nation and the inviolability of its borders. Thus, the Day of Motherland Defenders is celebrated extensively in Uzbekistan as a nationwide holiday, and the military servicemen and women enjoy common reverence and honor as protectors of our peaceful and prosperous life.
The Turkiston Palace in the heart of Tashkent was in festive attire on January 13. It gathered senators and legislators, government members, soldiers and sergeants, officers, generals, veterans of the Armed Forces, parents of servicemen and representatives of the general public.
The festive event timed to the celebration of the Day of Motherland Defenders was declared open by the hokim (mayor) of the city of Tashkent R.Usmanov.
Following the State Anthem of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Minister of Defense K.Berdiev read out the festive greeting address by President of the Republic of Uzbekistan – the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Islam Karimov for the defenders of the native land occasioned to the 22nd anniversary of the establishment of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
In accordance with the Decree of the head of our state, the Ministry of Defense was founded on 6 September 1991. In line with the resolution of the leader of our nation signed January 14, 1992, all the military units deployed on the territory of the country were taken under the jurisdiction of the Republic of Uzbekistan. That day laid the foundation for our national armed forces.
That historic date – 14 January – is widely marked in our country as the Day of Motherland Defenders.
For the past years, our Armed Forces have been perfected both in organizational and structural terms. The agility and combat capacities of subdivisions has been boosted, so has the physical and spiritual-moral training of servicemen. Military units and subdivisions have been provided modern weaponry and combat machinery.
The conscription once a year, the expansion of the number of contract military personnel, the introduction of mobilization-reserve military service have facilitated the cardinal transformation in the appearance of the armed forces and the spiritual-moral environment in the military. The service has become a genuine school of physical and moral tenacity that shapes the firm willpower and character as well as high human qualities in the youth.
Consistent efforts have been in progress aimed at staffing the national military with highly professional cadres, bolstering the training levels, knowledge and skills of the servicemen. Military exercises and classes are conducted with the use of advanced scientific and technological achievements. Higher military education institutions train officer corps able to thoroughly assess any threats and make operational decisions, and those wielding modern knowledge and high moral-ethical qualities.
As a result, the interest and aspiration for military service has been growing among young people. Our young men undergo comprehensive training for them to be worth of so noble an honor. From the very childhood, they are engaged in sports, thoroughly attain knowledge, and thus develop both physically and intellectually.
The issues of improvement of social and living conditions of military personnel in places of service, the social security of citizens transferred to the reserve. In particular, new residential homes for service people were commissioned on the eve of the New Year 2014 in many regions of the country. Hence, thousands of military families celebrated the New Year in new homes.
Competition-based conscription is an important factor in staffing the armed forces with young men with superb physical training and intellectual abilities. Owing to this, soldiers grasp profoundly the curricula on combat training and application of cutting-edge machinery and technologies.
The citizens who have served conscription period and earned recommendation of the commanding staff of the military unit enjoy privileges when applying to higher education institutions with an addition of 27 percent of the maximum number of scores available in passing admission tests to universities. This creates great opportunities in applying to higher education institutions, in attaining profession and a worthy place in life.
This year, the Day of Motherland Defenders is celebrated in our country under a slogan “Uzbekiston – Yagona Vatanim!” The public council under the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Uzbekistan conducts numerous meetings and spiritual-enlightenment events in military units and subdivisions, across the regions, towns and districts, villages and mahallas. The fact that our nation highly values the peace and harmony in the country and conscious of being part of the cause of preserving this invaluable good and deeply convinced that Uzbekistan is our single Motherland is given a bright confirmation time and again at these events.
The President of our country signed a decree on 10 January 2014 occasioned to the Day of Motherland Defenders, whereby a group of personnel in law enforcement agencies, ministries of defense and emergency situations is awarded orders and medals. At the official meeting in the Turkiston Palace, they were handed these high awards of the Motherland.
“The peaceful and tranquil life in the country is the greatest wealth of our people,” suggests lieutenant colonel Atabek Kamalov, head of department of the military district of Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Defense, holder of the order “Shon-Sharaf” 2nd degree. “I am proud to be making my own contribution to the cause of ensuring the peace and security of our native and. It is an utmost honor for me to receive in such official and festive circumstances the high award of the nation in line with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. I will spare no effort and energy to meet this highest confidence, to safeguard the peace and wellbeing of our people and the future of our children.”
The contest held traditionally in the Armed Forces of Uzbekistan has named the best higher military education institution, sergeant training school and the department for defense affairs. Winners were prized with diplomas and gifts.
Captain Abrorbek Ibragimov awarded with “Shuhrat” medal, junior sergeant Nozimjon Ibrohimov awarded with “Jasorat” medal, soldier’s mother Muyassar Vahidova, the People’s Poet of Uzbekistan Mahmud Toir and others who spoke at the official meeting congratulated the participants of the occasion on the Day of Motherland Defenders and expressed sincere gratitude to President of the Republic of Uzbekistan – Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Islam Karimov for the constant attention and care for the military servicemen.
The festive event ended with a gala concert.
The meeting was attended by Chairman of the Senate of Oliy Majlis I.Sobirov, Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis D.Tashmuhamedova, Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sh.Mirziyoev.
(Source: Uzbekistan National Agency UzA)
economy
Uzmetkombinat produces 746,200 tonnes of steel in 2013
Open joint stock company “Uzbek Metallurgy Combine” (Uzmetkombinat) produced 746,200 tonnes of steel in January-December 2013, which grew by 1.1% year-on-year.
Information service of Uzmetkombinat said that the combine produced 718,000 tonnes of ready metal roll in 2013. The growth rate made up 1.1% year-on-year.
The enterprise produced consumer goods for 42.8 billion soums in 2013, which rose by 5% year-on-year, the information service said.
In the reporting period, Uzmetkombinat produced localized products for 173.335 billion soums (Currency rates of CB from 15.01.2014 1$=2203.29 soums).
The company used capital investments for 61.1 billion soums in 2013, of which 57.1 billion soums were utilized with the modernization programme.
(Source: UzDaily.com)
2014 YEAR – THE YEAR OF HEALTHY CHILD
Health Built in Childhood
Thanks to a well-coordinated work of the entire healthcare system, one of the brothers was saved. This is the success of all health levels starting from the general practitioner and specialist of obstetric regional complex, who monitored pregnancy and childbirth, and finishing with the leading specialists of the Republican Center, who successfully completed a 16-hour operation on separation of the twins together with their Russian colleagues.
Specialists of numerous rehabilitation centers and country’s top resorts helped to nurse and rehabilitate the ‘non-standard’ patient.
Farseeing and competent approach to the development of health yields the anticipated results. Infant and maternal mortality in Uzbekistan has reduced almost thrice over the past twenty years. It took eleven years to reduce the birth rate of children with congenital and severe hereditary diseases 1.6 times. At the same time, there is a good progress in the further reduction of new cases of many infectious and other diseases.
Priority to prevention
As President Islam Karimov stressed in his report at the grand meeting occasioned to the 21st anniversary of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, medical culture of the population, especially of parents, is crucial in upbringing a healthy child. As proposed by the President, the State Program the Year of the Healthy Child will focus on intensified and extensive outreach aimed at raising the medical culture.
It is appropriate to note that the work is diversified. Monthly health weeks for women, children and adolescent girls contribute to raising medical culture along with presentations of doctors in the media, meetings of experts of healthy lifestyles with population in local communities and organizations, dissemination of different medical handouts on maternal and child health. As part of campaigns the leading doctors of regional and national medical institutions visit remote settlements, provide medical examinations and highlight a wide range of issues related to health improvement.
To ensure the practical implementation of abovementioned presentations Uzbekistan is building the appropriate infrastructure. With an eye to World Health Organization guidelines the republic runs specific programs to ensure timely and quality nutrition for pregnant women and infants. Nowadays, rural women on pregnancy are supplied with free multivitamin complexes at the residence place. The market is sufficiently provided with iodized salt and fortified flour, which help to cut the incidence of the pathologies caused by low content of iodine, iron and other micronutrients in the environment. In 2014 it is planned to accentuate the manufacture of foods fortified with specific vitamins and minerals.
Children vaccination under the National Immunization Schedule is a reliable protection against many infectious diseases. Starting with the second half of 2014, the list of mandatory vaccination of children against certain diseases will be expanded. It is projected to ensure vaccination against rotavirus, which may even lead to the loss of a child.
At an early stage
The current stage of development stakes on advancement of the system of early detection of congenital and hereditary diseases to prevent the birth of disabled children. The specific program for 2013-2017 is underway. It envisages involving rural medical units and clinics which constantly monitor women at the place of their residence. They will provide all women in early pregnancy with modern ultrasound diagnostic examination.
According to the document, Uzbekistan will launch another regional screening center in Tashkent region. It is expected to contribute to revealing congenital and hereditary diseases in one of the biggest regions of the country.
Specialists of abovementioned institutions will continue comprehending new methods of diagnosis and prevention of various diseases that have not been previously diagnosed in Uzbekistan and were not treated at early stages. For instance, the Republican Screening Center is currently introducing a tandem mass spectrometry. It implies that a dry blood spot applied on a special card detects up to 20 diseases that develop on the background of amino acid metabolism disorders.
As part of the program screening centers will be equipped with biochemical analyzers that provide the confirming diagnostics of certain hereditary diseases of the neuromuscular system and pathological conditions accompanied by skeletal deformities. Doctors of mother and child screening services are also to handle molecular genetic diagnostic technologies.
From the first minutes
Much attention is paid to the development of the obstetric care. Perinatal centers that specialize in helping women with pregnancy burdened by various complications have opened in all regions over the past ten years. Specialists of those centers work in collaboration with their colleagues from the Republican Perinatal Center and the Republican Specialized research Medical Center of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Their tandem allows finding optimal ways out of the most complicated situations.
Scaled consolidation of logistical capacities has covered all maternity hospitals over the recent years. Dozens of buildings were built, reconstructed and overhauled. Sponsored by international financial institutions all of them were equipped with modern medical equipment, including resuscitation devices. Up-to-date incubation devices and heated tables allow fostering newborns with poor health.
Organizational structure of the obstetric care ahs been completely changed. There are new approaches to rendering medical aid. Average length of stay of parturient women in hospital decreased from ten to three days, which is a reliable protection against nosocomial infections. New technologies of care for pregnant women and children have been introduced in maternity institutions. Today, mother and child are almost inseparable from the first minutes after birth, all newborns are exclusively breastfed. These and other approaches contribute not only to preservation and strengthening of maternal health, but also the successful development of children.
High technologies
Development of specialized pediatric services, including introduction of advanced diagnostic and treatment technologies, remains a priority. Ministry of Health is implementing a range of scaled projects in this field.
For example, reconstruction of the Republican Specialized Research Medical Center is underway, thus contributing to the development of the entire system of provision of pediatric aid. New department of congenital and acquired ENT organs was launched at one of the buildings of the center late last year. Finally, Uzbekistan developed a surgery service for the children with hearing defects.
The new department will offer a wide range of free operations, including costly cochlear implantation. The same center is currently building a neonatal surgery service. A child will not survive without these operations, so far they are offered solely by the Republican Perinatal Center. This is obviously not enough. Another new building of the same center is a location of endovisual surgery service.
Today, many other major medical centers are involved in the development of specialized pediatric services. For instance, the launch of cardiac surgery block at the Republican Specialized Center of Surgery empowered heart surgery for children under three years. New diagnostics and treatment technologies are being introduced at renovated children’s departments of the Republican Specialized Research TB and Pulmonology Center.
Frequently occurring diseases that require high-tech treatment will be treated in the regions as well. With this purpose all regions of the country continue strengthening logistical capacity of their regional diversified medical centers. Reconstruction of many buildings has been completed; however, it is still underway in Andijon, Qashqadaryo and Khorazm regions. It is scheduled to start supplying regional centers with modern high-tech equipment this year. It will be delivered under the joint project of the Ministry of Health and the German KfW Bank.
Undoubtedly, the ongoing measures and new initiatives will significantly strengthen the current system of maternal and child healthcare. Thus national healthcare will contribute to nurturing young comprehensively advanced generation.
(Source: “Uzbekistan Today” newspaper)
Technology
Domestic telecommunications market introduces new technologies
Telecommunications are the link of modern society. Thanks to them the world has become global and transparent. Uzbekistan is one of the leaders in the region in terms of developing the broadband Internet, new services and communications.
The policy of widespread introduction of information and communication technologies has enabled the country to achieve significant success very quickly. In the past year the number of users of mobile services in the country reached 19 million, while the number of Internet users grew by 18.3% compared with 2012 and amounted to 7.1 million people.
The joint-stock company Uzbektelecom, which is the largest telecommunications operator, with a network covering the whole territory of Uzbekistan, play a huge role in the introduction of modern IT-technologies across the country.
In 2013, the company has built and commissioned fiber-optic communication lines with a total length of over 2,000 km. The company also opened three new lines to international telecommunications network, and increased by 4 times the bandwidth of two its current lines. This made it possible to achieve positive results in accelerating the integration of the telecommunications network of Uzbekistan to global telecommunications system. In particular, during 2013 access speed to the Internet increased by 30% and reached more than 10 Gbit / s. The cost of services for ISPs decreased 1.3 times.
Experts of the company installed 140 CDMA-450 base stations, so the network is now available in 71% of settlements of the country. In next year another 201 base station will be installed. 114 already existing station will be upgrade according to EVDO technology. That will increase the total coverage to 85%.
The company also wants to develop its FTTx optical network. It is going to increase the number of ports by additional 110,000 subscribers. The company develops a number of other projects too.
(Source: “Uzbekistan Today” newspaper)