Life expectancy increases in Georgia

Georgian’s living in today’s society are living longer than their ancestors, latest data shows.

In recent years the average life expectancy of the Georgian population has increased, said Minister of Health David Sergeenko at a special press conference today.

As a result, the older population was growing as people lived longer. Minister Sergeenko noted there were 8,000 more pensioners this year than in 2013.

"Fortunately in recent years there is a trend of increasing average life expectancy of the Georgian population,” he said.

"In addition, the number of pensioners has increased by 8,000 people [this year]. Nationwide these people might not change statistical parameters but every human life is vitally important to us,” the Minister said.

He noted that 8,000 more pensioners meant the Government had to give out an additional 200,000 GEL in pensions per month, or 14.5 million GEL a year to the aging population.

Sergeenko said this cost was affordable and in the recent period, the Health budget had increased to more than two and a half billion GEL.

"The budget of the Health Ministry in 2012 was 1.800 billion GEL, in 2013 it became 2.126 billion GEL and in 2014 it was 2.653 billion GEL,” he noted.

"Positive dynamics is evident and the health budget has almost been doubled. As for the budget of 2015, I will abstain from naming any particular number because this is the prerogative of our Parliament,” the Minister added.

Sergeenko also noted that the country’s pension system should be adequate and meet the needs of the country’s market.

"For today Georgia has 690,000 pensioners and this year the number has increased by 8,000. There are two ways to increase pensions. The first one is to constantly foster the budget and the second is to change the methodology and take a step-by-step approach to implement accumulative pensions,” he said.

"In reality what we have is social aid to elderly people and not pensions. The Government is working on both directions, an economic bloc is working together with us as well on the issue of accumulative pensions, which is not a one-day or one-month job,” the Minister noted.