Global Import Regulations for

Uruguay

General Market Condition: Restricted

Source: Report from CS Post (via E-Mail), 28 March 2001 (confirmed as still accurate 21 March 2002)

Unfortunately there would appear to be no niche for used medical equipment in the Uruguayan market. Tariffs on used items are applied on the value if new! Moreover, as a member of Mercosur, Uruguay applies a common external tariff to products coming from outside Mercosur. The common external tariff in some cases is as high as 16.5 percent, whereas the tariff on medical equipment coming from the other Mercosur countries is zero percent.

Although the same regulations apply to used equipment as to new equipment, the Ministry of Public Health tends to make the procedures extremely troublesome (even in the case of donations!), so local importers do not look for used equipment. The Ministry of Public Health will accept used equipment as donations only and they make it difficult for themselves also!

Local costs for repairing/refurbishing are low with high skills. So when upgrading, high-end institutions/users tend to sell their equipment to those with lower technologies and they can then have it as new at low costs.

Uzbekistan

General Market Condition: Restricted

Source: International Market Insight, Import Regulations for Medical Equipment in Uzbekistan, 2 April 2002 (Updated: 16 May 2003)

Summary

The act of registering or re-registering of products for medical use in Uzbekistan is performed by the Head Department of the Drug and Medical Equipment Quality Control (HDDMEQC), Public Health Ministry of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The procedures for registering medical equipment and related products were issued by the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan on May 25, 1995 and then were approved by the Ministry of Health.

Registration is a requirement for the importation of new medical products into Uzbekistan. Once registered, a product is included in the State register of medical equipment and medical related products.

Registration is valid for five years.

Regulations for Used Medical Equipment

Medical equipment that has been in use does not need to be officially registered in the Republic of Uzbekistan. However, all medical equipment imported to the territory of Uzbekistan should pass the governmental certification. The companies are advised to get the copy of the government quality technical standards, which are applicable to the imported type of equipment. The utilization of used and refurbished medical equipment in hospitals and testing institutions is possible only after passing the strict quality, suitability and security conditions in a technical evaluation with the technological experts from a special commission, created under HDDMEQC RU. Medical equipment, which is supplied through humanitarian aid, can be distributed to the final place of destination, only after certification testing.

Most Promising Markets for Used Medical Equipment

The best market potential for used and refurbished U.S. manufactured medical equipment is expected to be in the following areas: Dental equipment, diagnostic equipment, laboratory scientific instruments and supplies, and rehabilitation equipment for the private hospitals.

Methods of Procurement

The Ministry of Health officials (MOH) and local companies underlined that they prefer working directly with manufacturers, and not with intermediaries. Medical equipment and supplies are primarily financed from the State budget and loans from the World Bank or other banks and agencies.

To sell medical equipment to MOH entities, an American company must be sure: (1) the MOH has some funding either from the state budget or a loan, and (2) the main MOH suppliers of medical equipment (such as Uzmedexport or Tibmahsulot) have the necessary information about the American company’s products. U.S. companies interested in doing business in Uzbekistan should provide the two main Uzbekistan suppliers with catalogues of their products and information on the companies, their goods and services.

To sell medical equipment to other, non-MOH financed state medical entities, an American company should have a distributor or a dealer that will go to these clinics and hospitals to evaluate the needs, display the equipment, and persuade medical personnel to buy the equipment. If the company and medical personnel come to an agreement, the chief medical officer of the hospital or clinic will go to the relevant regional or municipal authorities to request funding. Such payments are generally done through the National Bank of Uzbekistan.

The NGOs are another tool for exporters to find end-users of medical equipment by means of the organizations of different types of seminars, training, launch meetings for local doctors within the country.

Non-state Purchasers

The medical technologies are a State-controlled sector. However, the private hospitals and doctors themselves could be potential customers for used and refurbished medical equipment. It is also necessary to point out that the older generation doctors who were trained during the Soviet period have the inclination to buy German or Russian medical devices. The younger generations of doctors have the opposite inclination to purchase modern digital equipment, manufactured in U.S. or Japan.

Resources of Uzbek Health Services

Uzbek Health Statistics

Item	Number
Physicians	73,389
Medium level medical personnel	249,337
Regional hospitals	22
Municipal hospitals	120
Central district and district hospitals in rural area	198
Community hospitals	198
Maternity homes	53
Other specialized hospitals and institutions	255
Institutions with units of resuscitation and intensive therapy	417
Number of their beds	3,016
Emergency medical centers	155
Number of their beds	131,478
Medical ambulatory-polyclinic institutions	3,679
Blood transfusion stations	17
First-aid stations (departments)	213
Sanitary-epidemiological stations	225

Main Contact Information

The package of standard forms can be obtained at the Receptionist Desk of Committee on new medical technology of the Head Department of Drug and Medical Equipment Quality Control at the address below.

More information can be obtained from:

Mr. Abdunamon Sidikov, Head of External Economic Activities Department
Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan
30 Abdullaeva Street,
Tashkent 700011, Uzbekistan
Tel: [phone], 68 08 11, 1690021
Fax: [phone]

Mr. Akhmat Yunuskhojaev, Director of Head Department of Drug and Medical

Equipment Quality Control
Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan
Usmankhodjaev Street, 16 K.Umarov passage
Tashkent 700002, Uzbekistan
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Mrs. Gulnora Tillaeva, Chairmen, Doctor of Technical Science, Professor

Committee on new medical technology
Head Department of Drug and Medical Equipment Quality Control

Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan

Usmankhodjaev street, 16 K.Umarov passage
Tashkent 700002, Uzbekistan
Tel: [phone]Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

Mr. Rasul Dushamov, Head of the Department for the Technical Development

Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan
12 Navoi street
Tashkent 700011, Uzbekistan
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-Mail: serka@@bcc.com.uz
Website: www.moh.uz

Mrs. Dina Mukhamadieva, Chairman of the Board

Counterpart Hamroh, NGO
11A Donskaya Street
Tashkent 700077, Uzbekistan
Tel: [phone]/15
Fax: [phone]
E-Mail: [e-mail]
Website: www.cango.net

Ms. Tatyana Isaeva, Financial Assistant / Health Care Technologies

U.S. Commercial Service,
U.S. Embassy, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-Mail: [e-mail]
Website: www.export.gov

International Mailing Address:
41 Buyuk Turon Street, 3rd Floor,
Tashkent 700000 Uzbekistan

U.S. Mailing Address:
Commercial Service
Department of State
7110 Tashkent Place
Washington, DC 20521-7110