Azerbaijan.US
Azerbaijan is moving to expand access to cancer treatment by allowing licensed private medical institutions to provide oncological care alongside state-run facilities.
The change is предусмотрено amendments to the country’s Law on Oncological Care, currently under discussion in parliament. According to Parvana Valiyeva, a member of the Milli Majlis Health Committee, the reform is aimed primarily at improving access for patients living outside the capital.
Many regions of Azerbaijan do not have specialized state oncology centers, forcing patients to travel to Baku for diagnosis and treatment. Under the proposed rules, patients would be able to receive oncological services closer to home – provided that private clinics in their region are properly licensed and meet regulatory requirements.
At the same time, officials stress that the financial model will remain clearly divided. Treatment received at private clinics will be paid for by patients, based on the clinic’s own pricing. By contrast, oncological care provided in state medical institutions will continue to be fully covered by the government budget.
Medication coverage will also remain limited to the public system. State-funded drug provision applies only to patients treated in government hospitals and is based on an approved list determined by the state.
Valiyeva also emphasized that only doctors who have passed formal certification and professional attestation will be permitted to provide oncological services, regardless of whether they work in public or private facilities.
The proposal reflects a broader effort to ease pressure on state hospitals while improving regional access to specialized medical care, without shifting the core burden of cancer treatment away from the public healthcare system.
