Health expenditures in Azerbaijan have increased by nearly 400% over the past five years, yet this growth has not translated into equal progress across all medical fields.
Critical areas – particularly oncology and diabetes care – remain underfunded and insufficiently supported.
MP Rashad Mahmudov raised the issue during the Milli Majlis debate on the 2026 state budget, stressing that spending must directly correlate with measurable results.
“Cancer is no longer a hopeless diagnosis – but funding must reflect modern realities”
Mahmudov emphasized that globally, oncology is now a highly treatable field thanks to targeted therapies, immunotherapies, and next-generation medicines, which allow the majority of patients to live 10 years or longer with high quality of life.
“This shows how critical every step is toward protecting human life. The financial support envisaged under the state’s Oncology Program must be significantly increased.”
He warned that Azerbaijan’s current oncology budget is far below what is needed when the real cost of treatment and number of patients are taken into account.
According to the MP, oncology funding needs to be raised at least 3-4 times to meet essential demand.
Why increased oncology funding is vital
Mahmudov explained that targeted cancer medicines extend patients’ lives by many years:
“This is both a matter of social responsibility and preservation of human capital.”
He noted that the burden on the Mandatory Health Insurance system (İTS) has grown dramatically, and placing full responsibility for oncology drugs on İTS would create system-wide gaps:
cancer patients cannot realistically pay out of pocket,
interrupted treatment leads to sharply worse survival outcomes,
concentrating all responsibility in İTS risks administrative confusion and weakened accountability.
“Believing that all problems can be solved solely within the framework of Mandatory Health Insurance is not realistic. İTS is not – and cannot be – a replacement for the state oncology program.”
Use existing specialized oncology centers instead of shifting responsibility
The MP stressed that Azerbaijan already has high-capacity, well-equipped oncology centers, and the government should focus on strengthening their effectiveness rather than redirecting responsibilities elsewhere.
“Looking for solutions in other structures moves us away from the core objective and wastes precious time – time that directly affects a patient’s right to live.”
Resident doctors’ salaries also require fundamental reform
Mahmudov added that the issue of resident doctors’ salaries remains unresolved and must be addressed comprehensively, as it directly affects:
retention of medical personnel in the country,
quality of healthcare services,
the development of human capital.
