Aze.US
Azerbaijan’s parliament has approved legislative amendments allowing licensed private medical institutions to provide oncology services, a move expected to expand patient choice and improve access to treatment, particularly outside the capital.
Under current regulations, cancer care is largely restricted to specialized state-run facilities, limiting patients’ ability to choose their physician or hospital despite broader legal guarantees of medical choice under the country’s health protection law.
The newly adopted changes permit private hospitals to deliver oncology diagnostics, treatment and surgery, provided they obtain a special license and meet requirements related to technical capacity, qualified personnel and treatment quality standards. The Ministry of Health will determine the detailed criteria and oversight mechanisms.
Lawmakers say the reform is intended to address regional disparities in access to cancer care. Specialized oncology centers are concentrated mainly in Baku, forcing many patients from other parts of the country to travel to the capital for treatment.
Medical professionals working in the private sector say Azerbaijan has a growing pool of specialists trained abroad who are capable of providing comprehensive oncology care, but whose services have been constrained by existing legal limits. They expect the reform to stimulate competition, raise service quality and reduce the need for patients to seek treatment overseas.
The amendments are expected to take effect following the completion of regulatory procedures and licensing implementation by health authorities.