New $4.04mln programme to finance post-stroke rehabilitation, recovery from head, spinal cord injuries

A programme for post-stroke rehabilitation and recovery following head and spinal cord injuries will be added to the universal healthcare programme of Georgia, health minister Zurab Azarashvili said on Monday after the weekly government meeting. 

This will enable patients to restore their functional skills in a timely manner and avoid the development of difficult restrictions. The programme incorporates a full rehabilitation cycle", the ministry noted.

The monthly budget of rehabilitation following a stroke and head and spinal cord injuries is ₾919,250 ($337,395), while the programme’s annual budget is ₾11 million ($4.04mln). Azarashvili said about 6,000 patients applied to medical institutions in the country with the diagnosis annually.

He also revealed the ministry was working on the implementation of a new model of prevention of severe consequences of a stroke, with emergency medical teams responding to stroke incidents to take patients to specific clinics where they would receive “prompt” treatment to prevent complications.

The budget of the health ministry is set to increase by about ₾770 million ($282mln) in 2023, enabling the body to increase financing for universal healthcare and other targeted programmes.