New hospital will be built near Abkhazia, says Georgian PM

A new high-profile hospital is earmarked to be built in western Georgia near the administrative border of Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia, offering treatment to Georgian and Abkhazian citizens.

Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili visited Rukhi village in the Samegrelo region today and took part in a ceremony where the foundations of the new clinic were laid.

"Today a foundation is being laid to the construction of a place of national importance – we are starting to build a hospital which has regional importance,” Garibashvili said at the ceremony which marked the beginning of construction.

The PM believed the modern clinic reaching international standards would serve the entire region and was initially the brainchild of Georgia’s previous Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili.

In addition to the hospital with 220 beds, a hotel-type dormitory will be built, which will enable relatives of patients the ability to stay close to the hospital when necessary. Sports and recreation facilities will also be built.

"The cost of the project is expected to exceed 40 million GEL and is of great importance. It will significantly improve the medical services of Samegrelo and the surrounding regions and most importantly it will connect both sides of Enguri,” Garibashvili said.

"Our Abkhazian brothers will be able to be treated here and enjoy all of the privileges the state offers to Georgian citizens” Garibashvili said.

The Prime Minister stressed the new hospital would see the creation of new jobs, where local people and refugees will be employed. After the hospital is built, a number of people in the region will be trained to work in different positions within the clinic and on its staff list.

"By our estimations nearly 600 people will be employed at the hospital including medical, technical and support staff. This will be an important source of income for the local population,” Garibashvili noted.

Finally, in his speech the Georgian leader spoke about the Governmental insurance and universal healthcare program and noted hospitals were being built across the whole country in order to make treatment available to everyone.

"Construction of this hospital is part of our healthcare policy as well. That is why I promise that I will personally oversee the construction process to ensure that all standards are being followed and the construction ends on time,” Garibashvili added.