2020 STATE BUDGET: SOCIAL PRIORITIES

At the session of the Cabinet of Ministers on May 10, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov signed the Resolution on the State Budget of Turkmenistan for 2020 and addressing the members of the Government, pointed out the necessity of thorough elaboration of all sections of the main financial document especially the enhancement of its social direction, in particular, having focused on the increment of financing of educational and health protection spheres.

Recently on May 27, the Head of the State signed number of resolutions, having approved the composition of several interdepartmental commissions, which activity includes the subjects of health protection of the population. Compositions of the Extraordinary Commission of Turkmenistan on combating against the spread of diseases, National Coordination Council for realization of National Strategy of implementation of objectives outlined in the Ashgabat Declaration on Prevention and Combating Non-Infectious Diseases in 2014 – 2020, Interdepartmental Coordination Commission for implementation of 2017 – 2021 National Programme of realization of the UN Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

These facts indicates the steadiness of political course in the country, which main goal is to protect and develop human potential. This is the solution of this strategic objective, at which the request of the Head of the State on the increment of expenses for health protection and education is aimed.

Investments to these vitally important spheres support the enhancement of social, demographic and economic security of the State and improvement of labour potential. Multiple effect from the growth of average life expectancy including working population, productivity and efficiency of work.

Health protection as the basis of human potential is the main goal of national medical sphere. In this context, integrated and long-term Health Programme developed by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov marked new approach to improvement of national health protection system starting from the prevention of diseases and promotion of healthy life style in society to the attraction of innovative technologies and wide international cooperation in this sphere.

Super modern clinics and scientific and clinical centres have been built and are continued to be built under the programme as well as other large-scale reform programmes in all regions of the country. Various medical, sanatorium and resort facilities, which do not yield to the world analogues by their provision and range of services, are under reconstruction.

Pharmaceutical industry is also under improvement. High quality medicine and other relative production is made from local material. the country has efficient system of protection of maternity and childhood, high technology medicine is under development, active cooperation is established with leading world clinics and scientific and research institutes.

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov notes the necessity of strict compliance with the WHO recommendations in the sphere of health protection and improvement, which has four main directions – improvement of activity of health protection system, reduction of mortality rate, efficient control of the main risk factors and putting health protection to advanced positions as the main criteria of social development.

In this regard, integrated measures for implementation of different directions of public health protection are exemplary including the implementation of National strategy on improvement of physical activity of the population in Turkmenistan in 2018 – 2025, the programme of protection of mental health of the population in 2018 – 2022 and the programme of prevention of harmful impact of alcohol in 2018 – 2024.

It is worth to mention that our country has been elected as a members of three bodies of the UN Economic and Social Council during the session of this organization on May 7, 2019 namely to the World Food Programme Executive Council for 2020 – 2022, the UN Commission on Population and Development for 2020 – 2024 and the UN Commission on Drug Substances for 2020 – 2023.

Having received this good news from the United Nations Headquarter at the above-mentioned session of the Cabinet of Ministers, head of the State Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov highlighted that election of Turkmenistan to these structures visually indicates the growth of authority of the country in the world and recognition of its great role in implementation of the objectives of global development.

In particular, the President noted that making contribution to solution of issues of the population, Turkmenistan implements number of important programmes in the sphere of reproductive health. The emphasis has also been laid on the implementation of the projects aimed at the provision of optimum conditions for realization of demographic policy and protection of maternity and childhood.

The role of scientific and educational potential for bringing of the country to new levels is obvious. Reform of educational system and national science are among the priorities of the state policy. The country has modern educational infrastructure, rich practice in development of new methods in this sphere, improvement of educational level of the population.

The Head of the State highlights that latest technologies, achievements in science and technology, robotics and artificial intelligence are the drive engines of the progress. Today, free operation of digital technologies and advanced knowledge providing comprehensive implementation of intellectual, scientific and technical potential of the country is the criteria for development of the sphere.

New secondary comprehensive and high schools, kindergartens, entertainment and health centres have been built in all regions of the country under national programmes. The work for provision of all educational facilities with books and manuals, implementation of latest technologies, scientific and technical equipment meeting the world standards is carried out steadily. Construction of secondary schools is continued together with social facilities according to the Programme of social and economic development of the country in 2019 – 2025.

Comprehensive modernization of educational sphere has brought current innovations to school timetable, to which such disciplines as the basics of economics, cultural heritage of Turkmenistan, world culture, modelling and graphics, information, communication and innovative technologies have been introduced together with regular subjects.

Seminars on electronic management, programme software, formation of the fund of electronic educational information have been organized in regards to the change to 12-year school education and in accordance with the Concept of development of the system of digital education. Connection of universities to unified educational system is carried out.

Digital system is activated on all levels of education for modernization of work of profile organizations and provision of high quality electronic information. Latest achievements of science and innovative education methods are actively introduced into this sphere.

Number of prize winners of national and prestige international contests is growing every year, humanitarian cooperation is developed, young Turkmen citizens achieve high results in sports and arts. Cooperation with big scientific and educational centres of the world, international organizations and funds has significantly expanded. This is indicated by conferences, seminars, exhibitions, meetings of science and education representatives with participation of numerous foreign guests in Turkmenistan.

Our country expands the cooperation in humanitarian sphere with the UN, European Union. Joint works with competent organizations like the UNICEF, UNFPA, UNDP and UNESCO working in our country is carried out.

Qualification of teachers who master latest educational methods and information technologies is enhanced, productive relations between educational facilities of our and foreign countries are expanded.

Having established close contacts with prestige scientific and educational centres of Europe, Asia and America, Turkmenistan achieved significant increment of its students in these states and expanded the participation in international studies, inter-university exchanges and development of academic informational networks training the specialists of new formation.

Priorities of scientific studies of young national scientists are focused on such research directions as petrochemical industry, power energy, industry of construction materials, production and processing of hydrocarbons, mineral and other natural resources, creation of nanocomposite materials, methods of water treatment, increment of gas production, seismic monitoring and other directions, in other words, on those scientific and practical objectives, which solution were defined by the Head of the State as the utmost for scientific community of the country.

Interest of young scientists in continuation of scientific training, improvement of qualification, research activity is visual result of the policy of Turkmen leader for development of educational system, fundamental and applied science, strengthening of its scientific and technical potential, formation of new intellectual elite of the nation.

Increment of financial volumes of educational and health protection spheres in 2020 State Budget is to provide reliable base for further implementation of all plans.