Gov’t staff donate to new local charity

A large proportion of Government Administration employees are volunteering to donate a portion of their salaries to a new public charity that supports people in need, including cancer patients and funding children’s expensive medical treatments.

The Government Administration said the majority of staff had volunteered to regularly donate to the newly established Solidarity Fund.

Members of the Economic Council and Crisis Management Council will also transfer money each month into the Fund.

The Solidarity Fund was created following an initiative of the Prime Minister, with the aim of the public and private sector collaborate to mobilise financial resources and directing them towards priority social needs.

Initially the fund will focus on assisting cancer patients and funding expensive medical treatment for children.

The Ministry said patients often were unable to travel abroad for medical treatment due to lack of adequate funds and this Fund would assist them.

If 170,000 GEL or more was donated to the Fund each month problems associated with onco-hematological (blood and cancer) patients under the age of 18 will be solved, the Ministry said.

If more than 1.4 million GEL was donated, the service will become available to the adult populations as well.

Deputy Head of the Government Administration Nino Kobakhidze said a special working group had been created and it would present an action plan within 45 days to determine a transparent and flexible system.

Kobakhidze, who is a member of the group, said the group would be chaired by the country’s Deputy Minister of Labour, Health and Social Affairs Mariam Jashi. The group will also be comprised of Ministry of Justice deputies, Ministry of Finance deputies and Economy Ministry deputies.

The Solidarity Fund project will be developed based on international experience and local specifics. The administrative costs of the project will be financed by the state.