Changes in the field of healthcare
By Tatia Megeneishvili
Wednesday, February 5
Minister of Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, Davit Sergeenko, met with the representatives of the media within the project “Government of Georgia for open Governance.”
On World Cancer Day February 4, Minister Sergeenko said that cancer is not the leading disease causing death in Georgia. According to him it is only 5% of the total diseases.
“Alarming is the fact that in Georgia it is not the family doctor that prevents the spread of disease and helps identify illness at the early stages. 60% of patients are diagnosed in 3rd-4th stages when treatment is delayed,” Segeenko stated.
BBC recently reported that according to the WHO's World Cancer Report 2014 said the major sources of preventable cancer included: smoking, infections, alcohol, obesity and inactivity, radiation, both from the sun and medical scans, air pollution and other environmental factors, delayed parenthood, having fewer children and not breastfeeding.
Minister Sergeenko also said that treatment of Hepatitis C will cost 100 million GEL less in total from February 1, 2014 so that people suffering from Hepatitis C will be able to purchase medicines at a 60% discount while the state will fully fund the treatment of people in the prison facilities. Nowadays 138 patients have already registered in the program of medicines.
According to the minister, the Healthcare Ministry periodically conducts research on the prices of medicines. However, he said in some cases, their costs have increased, and in some cases - decreased.
The minister also talked about how prices of medicines could be lowered in Georgia. Sergeenko said that too many companies wish to enter the market, although this was first of all necessary to have a harmonious system of quality control of medicines in order to open doors for companies wishing to enter. Otherwise, Sergeenko noted that if the market is opened for cheap and substandard medicines, it will create problems.
According to the minister, the only way to have decreased prices on medicines is if the government will have its quality control system on a high level.
Sergeenko spoke about doctors’ qualification as well. He said that the ministry plans to restore the re-certification for doctors, which is necessary for the safety of patients. The healthcare ministry also plans to gather all the experts in the field of medicine for consultations.
The ministry plans to build oncology center and infectious disease hospital.
Minister Sergeenko pointed out that infectious disease hospital rehabilitation will start in about a month and that there already is an architectural project to create a modern clinic. Implementation of this project will cost 9 million GEL and will be completed in two years. The Oncology Center will be transformed into a multi-level facility which will be the home of the leading oncologists.
According to the minister, the Onco-center territory covers an area of 27 thousand square meters. Reconstruction of the buildings will cost about 40 million GEL, while its advanced technology will require additional costs. Overall rehabilitation of the Oncocenter will cost 50-55 million GEL.
