Georgians receive 60% discount on hepatitis C medicine

More than 1,000 prisoners with hepatitis C will receive free treatment in the next two years, the Ministry of Health announced today.

In addition, the same medicine will be subsidized by 60% for the greater Georgian population.

"Over the next two years, a 60% discount will cover the hepatitis C drug for the whole population of Georgia. Currently, market price for that medicine is 280 GEL. From July 1 it will be available for 158 GEL and the remaining 60% of the price will be paid by the state, Health Minister David Sergeenko said.

After Egypt, it is the lowest price for this medicine, he said.

According to Minister of Corrections Sozar Subari, 1,000 prisoners will receive free treatment for hepatitis C, 5,000 inmates will receive free hepatitis B vaccinations and 12 000 prisoners will undergo a primary and complete analysis if necessary.

The Health Minister said this "important project was carried out in partnership with the Ministry of Corrections.

Corrections Minister Sozar Subari said a year of "very hard work had gone in to the project before any decisions were reached.

"We had to negotiate with extremely large-scale companies, whose budget exceeds the whole budget of Georgia. Our country was not a sphere of interest for them, he said.

"This result wouldn't have been achieved without the joint work of Healthcare, Economy and Finance Ministries, as well as Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and ex-Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, he said.

Roche, an international drug manufacturing company will produce the medicine and Georgian company GM Pharmaceuticals will supply the drug.