Dear Marijan,

Thank you very much for detailed information.

As I understand the minister will be on stage during plenary 2 (16th of April, 11:45-13:15) and he should make an intervention (10 minutes) on the equity dimensions of the health system response to NCDs.

Please correct if I am mistaken.  

Please be informaed that the minister will not use any slides.

Dear Sopo,

Attached you can find provisional documents for the conference in Sitges, Spain, which can be used as a kind of a guidance for the minister at preparing his contribution.

Attached is  provisional programme of the High-level meeting “Health Systems Respond to NCDs: Experience of the European Region” and the briefing note

You can also find the description of the plenary 2, where minister will be on stage too.

Georgia’s experience in moving towards UHC and the focus on NCDs in many policy areas like purchasing will add really valuable input into the meeting.   

We would like to ask the Minister to make an intervention as part of the Ministerial panel in the 2nd opening plenary.  The second plenary focuses on the equity dimensions of the health system response to NCDs.  (Session brief attached) The panel will be asked to reflect on key health system strengthening policies to reduce inequalities in NCD outcomes through the life-course.  Panelists may note particular successes achieved in their countries and highlight key challenges that were overcome in order to achieve them.   It would fit really well if the intervention from Georgia could focus on how inadequate financial protection and access barrier can prevent people from seeking preventive services and primary care on time and/or complying with condition management strategies (e.g. regular check-ups, medicines) for chronic conditions regularly.  Minister could share policy examples how Georgia has been moving forward at great speed towards universal health coverage expanding the population covered, services covered, and reducing the out-of-pocket costs of care seeking.  It would be good to highlight some of the most important policy directions from the perspective of NCDs that enabled people to seek timely care and continue treatment, also the challenges and how they were overcome.

The intervention should be 10 minutes and it is possible to use slides but not necessary.  If the minister will use slides, we will need the slides before April 6 because all presentations/slides will be displayed in Russian/English.    

Please, be informed that I am not In Tbilisi 4-9 April and will only occasionally answer the emails.

Before that I am available for any consultation if needed.

Best regards,