PM says “thousands” have benefited from state-funded social, medial programmes
The PM on Friday presented his office’s annual report to the Parliament. Photo: Government press office
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday said “thousands” of the country’s citizens had benefited from budget-funded social and medical programmes, and pledged several of the packages would be extended.
In his Parliamentary report on the Government’s work, Garibashvili said general prices for medicines on the domestic market had been reduced by 60-80 percent following the import of medications from Turkey starting in 2021.
He said thanks to his initiative the country’s citizens had saved up to ₾200 million ($76mln) on more than 550 most in-demand medications.
He also noted the latest initiative earlier this year on the Government financing treatment for 300 children patients of cancer in the country in the “best clinics” around the world in a ₾30 million ($12mln) annual programme until “high-standard” domestic clinics are launched.
He added geographical access to dialysis services had increased over the years and covered 39 medical facilities across the country, with an additional 12 planned in the future.
Hailing the General Healthcare Programme launched by Georgian Dream authorities in 2013, Garibashvili said it had covered 95 percent of the country’s population and funded 11 million cases with ₾7 billion ($2.6 mln) since its launch.
Programmes that subsidise mortgage loans for families with newborn children and multi-child families since 2021 have subsidised six percent of their loans for 4,700 beneficiaries so far, he added.
The PM also told lawmakers the Government had handed new accommodation to more than 32,000 internally displaced families since 2012.