Mental health support for British nationals in Uzbekistan
This guide outlines mental health support for British nationals in Uzbekistan, covering emergency contacts, consular help, legal rights, and treatment options.
Disclaimer
The information contained in this note is intended for your general guidance only, it is not a substitute for obtaining your own medical and legal advice. While all due care has been taken in compiling this information, accuracy cannot be guaranteed, and the applicable law and procedures may occasionally change. For these reasons neither His Majesty’s Government nor any member of the British Embassy consular staff can accept liability for any costs, damages or expenses which might be incurred.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office holds and uses data for purposes notified to the Information Commissioner under GDPR and the Data Protection Act 1998. Such personal data may be disclosed to other UK Government Departments and public authorities.
FCDO consular support
Whenever possible we will seek your permission before taking any action on your behalf.
We can:
- listen to you and help you look at your options
- help you to contact friends and family members if you want to
- visit you in hospital or prison in line with our usual procedures
- raise any concerns about your treatment or welfare with the responsible authority (such as a hospital or prison)
- help overseas medical staff contact medical staff in the UK who may be able to provide advice on your medical history
- give information about local medication suppliers
- be available, as appropriate, to offer you assistance if you choose to remain overseas
- liaise with your travel representative or travel insurance company, if you want us to
We cannot:
- give advice on mental health issues
- buy or supply medication
- withhold or remove a passport
- stop you from travelling abroad
- require you to return to the UK
- pay for you to return to the UK
- pay for food, accommodation or medical bills
- get you better treatment in hospital or prison than is given to local people
What to do if you need help
Mental health care in Uzbekistan is regulated by the Law “On Psychiatric Care” (2000). Foreign nationals are subject to the same rules as Uzbek citizens.
If there is an emergency or urgent need for medical attention, you should:
- call 103 – Ambulance / emergency medical services (psychiatric emergencies included)
- call 102 – Police (public-order or safety issues)
- a single emergency number 112 is being introduced
- calls are free even without credit, but operators usually speak Uzbek or Russian; you may need help from a local speaker.
If there is an immediate threat to life, emergency treatment (including psychiatric care) is free of charge for everyone, including foreign nationals.
Most healthcare providers do not speak English.
Your UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) are not valid in Uzbekistan.
You should arrange comprehensive travel or expat insurance that covers mental-health care and evacuation.
Unless your condition is life-threatening, you (or your insurer) must pay for psychiatric or psychological services. You can:
- see a local GP for initial assessment and referral
- book directly with a psychiatrist if you have a pre-existing diagnosis – no GP referral is required under Uzbek law
The most serious mental health issues and psychiatric problems are well understood in the Uzbek healthcare system, and treatment is available in all regions of the country. However, state outpatient centres (psycho-neurological dispensaries (PNDs)) are of varying quality and can be oversubscribed.
There is less treatment available in the state system for more common mental health problems including depression and anxiety. For these issues, you can also consult psychologists or psychiatrists in private clinics, some of which employ English-speaking staff.
Private psychiatric practice is still a developing sector in Uzbekistan. Most psychiatrists work in state institutions. The choice and quality of professional counselling, therapy and other services is therefore more limited than you could expect in the UK.
Private medical facilities
- Tashkent International Clinic. Primary and mental-health counselling; 24/7 doctor-on-call; English and Russian speaking staff
- SOS International Clinic in Tashkent. Expat-focused GP and psychiatry; English and Russian speaking staff
- International Medical Centre (IMC) in Tashkent. Psychiatry and psychology department; English and Russian speaking staff
- Akfa Medline University Hospital in Tashkent. Multidisciplinary (neurology/psychiatry); English, Uzbek and Russian speaking staff
- Medion Clinic in Samarkand. Psychiatric consultations; Russian and Uzbek speaking staff
State psychiatric medical facilities in Tashkent
- City Clinical Psychiatric Hospital: 35 Mehrjon St, Mirabad district
- Republican Specialised Scientific and Practical Medical Centre for Mental Health: 54A Sofdil St, Yangihayot district (national referral hospital)
- Children’s Psycho-Neurological Centre: 2 Eski Sarikol St
Outside Tashkent, each region (viloyat) runs a psycho-neurological dispensary (PND); ask local health authorities for details.
Data protection
As in the UK, in Uzbekistan there are laws restricting access to your personal data, including medical records, without your prior explicit consent. If you lack capacity, the consent should be given by your designated guardian.
Travelling to Uzbekistan with your medication
If you’re travelling to Uzbekistan with prescription medication, it’s important to prepare in advance.
You are generally allowed to bring a reasonable quantity of personal medication for your own use, but psychotropic and narcotic substances are strictly controlled or prohibited. These include: - strong painkillers - anti-anxiety medication (like alprazolam/Xanax, diazepam, clonazepam, lorazepam, zolpidem, temazepam) - ADHD medication (like dextroamphetamine). - sleeping pills
Without proper documentation, these drugs can be confiscated at the border and may result in fines, legal action, or even criminal charges. You must carry a doctor’s letter in English stating your full name, diagnosis, treatment plan, and medication details (dose and quantity), along with a copy of your prescription.
Medications should be in original packaging with your name visible. You are only allowed to bring up to 5 types of psychotropic medication with no more than 2 packets of each, for personal use, and you must declare them at customs upon arrival.
Border officers have the right to inspect your luggage and check your medication during entry checks and may confiscate any substance that does not comply with the import rules.
Carry medication in hand luggage and avoid sending it by post or courier. Some medications legal in the UK are banned in Uzbekistan, so consult your doctor or the Uzbek Embassy in London before you travel.
Repeat or replacement prescriptions
UK prescriptions are not recognised. You must see a local GP or psychiatrist to obtain an Uzbek prescription before a pharmacy will dispense regulated medicines. English-speaking clinics (see above) can help.
Compulsory hospitalisation
Under the Law “On Psychiatric Care”:
- a person may be hospitalised involuntarily (known in the UK as being “sectioned”) if they pose a danger to themselves or others or are unable to care for their basic needs.
- emergency admission can be decided by a psychiatrist; continued detention requires a court order within 48 hours
- foreign nationals have the same legal safeguards as Uzbek citizens
Consular staff cannot make decisions for you or influence any actions made by medical professionals in Uzbekistan
Costs of hospitalisation
Uzbekistan provides psychiatric care through its public healthcare system, which is free of charge for its citizens. Foreign nationals (including British citizens) may be required to cover the full cost of treatment, unless the case qualifies as an emergency.
Emergency care (including involuntary hospitalisation) is often provided first with payment arrangements addressed afterwards.
In non-emergency, or voluntary, cases you may be required to pay in advance or deposit funds before you are admitted to a psychiatric facility.
Charges for hospitalisation can vary depending on:
- the hospital (public or private)
- type of room (shared or private)
- length of stay
- medication and diagnostics used
Private psychiatric clinics may charge significantly higher rates, and many require cash payment or local insurance coverage.
British nationals are strongly advised to have comprehensive travel insurance that covers mental health treatment abroad, including inpatient psychiatric care. Medical evacuation (if needed), legal or translation support. Without insurance costs must be covered out-of-pocket and may need to be paid in advance.
Most public hospitals accept cash in Uzbek soum (UZS) only. Private clinics may accept international cards, but you should not rely on this. Always request an official invoice or receipt for your insurance reimbursement or legal documentation.
The UK government does not cover any hospitalisation costs regardless of your circumstances. Consular staff can help by contacting your family/friends for financial support to cover your hospitalisation costs or obtain details of your insurance. We will require your consent to do so.
Rights of psychiatric in-patients
Patients receiving psychiatric care- including those hospitalised involuntarily are protected by Uzbekistan’s Law on Psychiatric Care. However, standards may differ from those in the UK.
Patients must be treated humanely and with respect, regardless of their diagnosis. Patients have the right to be informed about their diagnosis, treatment options, expected outcomes and risks.
Involuntary patients must have their cases reviewed by a district court within 48 hours. Patients or their representatives may challenge the decision. Patients have right to communicate with family, legal representatives and the British Embassy, and receive visits (subject to hospital rules).
The British Embassy may not be told about your involuntary hospitalisation for several weeks, if at all. You should not assume that consular staff will know about your situation
Hospitals must provide adequate nutrition and hygiene, protection from abuse or neglect, access to emergency medical care.
Guardianship
In Uzbekistan, people with severe mental illness who cannot manage their affairs may be placed under legal guardianship by a court order. A guardian (usually a relative) can be appointed to make medical and legal decisions and manage finances and property. Guardianship is based on psychiatric assessment and approved by a court. The person loses legal capacity, meaning they can’t sign contracts or manage money by themselves. Guardianship can be challenged or revoked if the person recovers or if the guardian fails in their duties.
Suicide
Suicide is not a criminal offence in Uzbekistan, but it remains a highly stigmatised topic. Access to specialised mental health care, particularly suicide prevention support, may be limited, especially outside major cities.
Individual suffering from mental health crisis or having suicidal thoughts, should seek help at the nearest hospital or call emergency services by dealing 103 (ambulance) or 102 (police). Psychiatric assistance is available in most regional centres, and emergency care is free in life-threatening situations. While professional psychological counselling may not always be available, emergency medical intervention can usually be accessed without delay.
Returning to the UK
The cost of a medical repatriation must be covered by your travel insurance or personal funds. The UK Government does not organise or fund medical repatriation. The Uzbek authorities do not organise and fund medical repatriation even if the hospitalisation was at their request.
Once a medical team or doctors have decided that you are able to travel and have provided written consent, the repatriation (by air) can be organised through a medical repatriation company. Airlines may require a fit-to-fly certificate for passengers with recent psychiatric episodes or hospitalisation. If you need to be hospitalised in the UK, the transfer will be to your local hospital or institution.
Uzbek charity/NGO contacts
The number of charities and civil society organisations working on mental health issues is low compared to the UK but is growing. Organisations include:
- Yuksalish National Movement – public health and psychosocial projects:
Website: yumh.uz
Phone: +99895 2303323
E-mail: info@yumh.uz
Address: 8th floor, NGO house, 1 Furkat street,Tashkent 100017
- Istiqbolli Avlod – youth counselling & social support
Website: istiqbolliavlod.uz
Tashkent hotline/phone: +999951439494/ +998712541287
E-mail: iarepublic.uz@gmail.com or iagulistan.uz@gmail.com
Address: 4/22 Katta Mirabad street, Mirabad district, Tashkent 100170
- NGO “Oila” (Family) – family-focused psychological services
Phone: +99890 3481963 ( Chair: Dildora Karimova)
E-mail: oila.uz.2021@gmail.com
Address: Tashkent, Kichik Beshyogoch Street 104/12a
Services mainly in Uzbek/Russian; check websites or social media for English availability
UK information
- travel advice for people with mental health issues
- MIND – mental health information and support
- NHS Mental Health Helplines
Additional notes
- mental health care in Uzbekistan is still highly centralized. Tashkent has the most comprehensive facilities, including child-specific services
- English-speaking professionals are rare. We recommend bringing a translator or local contact for appointments outside private international clinics
- some regional facilities have limited hours or outdated equipment. Reviews suggest Samarkand and Fergana facilities can be overburdened and under-resourced