Healthcare NGO: Gov’t officials’ statements on clinics misusing state funds without evidence “cause reputational damage”

Government officials’ recent claims of alleged misuse of state funds by medical venues were made without evidence and “cause indiscriminate reputational damage” to all medical institutions in the country, Georgian-based non-governmental organisation Healthcare Association said on Wednesday.

The statement of the NGO follows comments by the Georgian Health Minister Zurab Azarashvili, who on Wednesday made claims about the Government covering a part of costs for empty beds at Covid clinics during the pandemic, and mentioned “problems” identified by state inspection at clinics, while also pointing to salary increases for hospital directors and their deputies by some venues.

Azarashvili said the Government had paid for at least 40 percent of empty beds at Covid clinics over the two years of the pandemic, saying the expenses amounted to about ₾1 billion ($328mln/€310mln).

In its response, Healthcare Association has noted the official’s statement could be “interpreted in various ways” and cast doubt on the reputation of “conscientious medical personnel who often fought to save someone else at the cost of their own lives,” adding it could additionally tarnish the reputation of any medical institution that “takes great responsibility over state funds.”

The statement also pointed out shortcomings of the Georgian healthcare system and said it “lagged significantly behind” those of developed countries, noting the gap had become “especially evident” during the pandemic period. 

Nevertheless, the hospital sector, which was on the verge of collapse [during the crisis], was able to protect patients’ interests as much as possible from the negative impact and consequences of systemic deficiencies,” the NGO said.

The Association also stressed the importance of analysing related mistakes with the involvement of members of the healthcare community as “pandemic management was an unknown to both the public and private sectors, [and] minor missteps would have been inevitable.”

Azarashvili said yesterday 20 healthcare facilities out of 125 had been inspected so far, with problems identified and noted during the process. He also pointed out a failure to address the issues could lead to a temporary suspension of the venues.