NGO: patients with severe conditions in occupied Akhalgori denied scheduled medical services
RES media outlet reports that trade facilities, beauty centres and sewing salons have resumed work in Tskhinvali region. Also, three vitally important ventilators were given to North Ossetia-Alania from Tskhinvali. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Residents of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Akhalgori district are prohibited not only from moving to the central government-controlled territory and receiving quality medical services there, but also from receiving scheduled services at the Akhalgori local hospital, reports Democracy Research Institute NGO (DRI).
At the initial stage of the spread of the coronavirus, the de-facto government explained the discriminatory approach to the Akhalgori population by the spread of COVID-19, but now the situation in Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region has changed Due to the fact that there is no officially confirmed case of coronavirus infection, the de facto government of Tskhinvali region has decided to ease the quarantine measures in place”, reports DRI.
RES media outlet reports that trade facilities, beauty centres and sewing salons have resumed work in Tskhinvali region. Also, three vitally important ventilators were given to North Ossetia-Alania from Tskhinvali.
DRI says that cases of discrimination have intensified in Akhalgori. The administration of the local hospital refuses the scheduled hospitalization of people with special needs and patients with severe illnesses. In addition to this, patients with severe health conditions are not allowed to go to Tbilisi to seek care.
DRI calls on the Georgian authorities to take all possible measures to ensure that critically ill patients living in Akhalgori receive planned medical care in the territory controlled by the central government.
In the middle of April, the State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality Ketevan Tsikhelashvili also noted that people in the Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region don’t have access to vitally important healthcare services.
De facto Tskhinvali closed the crossing points with Georgia on September 4, 2019, and, since then, 13 individuals have lost their lives, as they were unable to receive quality medical treatment.
Georgian civic activist Tamar Mearakishvili, who lives in Georgia’s Russian-controlled Akhalgori district, has released the photos of Akhalgori, with no people walking on the streets and lights rarely coming from windows.Mearakishvili, who is politically persecuted by de facto authorities of Tskhinvali, says that many people have left the district since the Russia-Georgia 2008 war, when Russia expanded its control on Akhalgori.
Margo Martiashvili, who suffered a stroke in the Russian-controlled Akhalgori district, has died earlier today in the hospital of occupied Tskhinvali as her relatives were unable to transport her to the Tbilisi-controlled territory via the shortest route due to the closure of the so-called border.
A mother living in Georgia’s Russian-occupied Akhalgori district was not allowed to leave the territory for several days to mourn her son who died in the Tserovani settlement, on Tbilisi-administered territory. The story caused public turmoil on social media, with the mother permitted to leave Akhalgori only late yesterday [while the young man died on September 22], Radio Liberty reports.
Georgian Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality Ketevan Tsikhelashvili has stated in parliament earlier today that at the moment she was delivering a speech in parliament, Georgia’s Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region was “was almost fully isolated” from the rest of Georgia.
The Democracy Research Institute says a teacher in a Georgian school in Akhalgori was arrested a few days ago on charges of ‘collaborating with the Georgian security forces’ and of providing information to the Georgian side about the Russian military forces.