The strong political will pledged of Government to improving social and health status of the Georgian population was translated into launching of The Universal Health Care Program in 2013, which has led to a major expansion in population entitlement to publicly financed health services, from 29% to over 90% of the population. From May 2017, to further reform the program, elaboration of new criteria for differentiation of beneficiaries (according to beneficiaries' revenue) was considered reasonable for provision of more needs oriented services and development of "social justice" approach.

From July 1, 2017, persons suffering from chronic conditions, who are registered in the unified database of "socially vulnerable families" with the rating score not exceeding 100,000, are eligible for the state program providing drugs for chronic conditions. The program envisages providing patients with selected drugs for chronic CVDs, lung diseases, diabetes (type 2) and thyroid gland conditions.

The initiative of starting the perinatal care regionalization process from May 2015 is a significant step forward in strengthening the maternal and newborn health care system, which considers defining the levels of perinatal service providers and their role and responsibilities in order to provide the correct   timing of the correct patient to a correct medical institution and, if necessary, effective referral. Regionalization was being completed in 2017. National MNH Strategy 2017-2030 with related short term Action Plan (2017-2019) is developed and approved by the government with the aim to provide long-term guidance and coherent plan of action for the improvement of maternal and new born health in Georgia.  

Ketevan Goginashvili, MPH

Head of Health Policy Division

Health Care Department

Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs

144 Tsereteli Ave

Tbilisi 0119, Georgia

Tel: +995 32 251 00 38 ext 1108

Mob: 995 577717984