Georgian Health Minister discusses Covid-19 impact at UN General Assembly
The Minister stressed his Government prioritised strengthening preparedness and response to public health risks by establishing public health response centres, including at the regional level. Photo: Health Ministry/Facebook
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Georgian Health Minister Zurab Azarashvili on Thursday discussed the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, efforts for its prevention and future plans of his office at a United Nations General Assembly meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response in New York.
Azarashvili said the pandemic had demonstrated the need for a “multi-sectoral response” by affecting not only the healthcare sector but also economy, society and day-to-day activities, and noted it had also “served as a reminder” that the healthcare sector could not address all the issues posed by the pandemic on its own.
He said “required adjustments and necessary expenditures” should be made in light of the experience gained as a result of the pandemic to ensure the world remained “better equipped” to handle “such a significant issue” in the future, the Ministry said.
The Minister stressed his Government prioritised strengthening preparedness and response to public health risks by establishing public health response centres, including at the regional level.
He said the aim during emergency situations was to make operational decisions, collect data and information, compare, analyse and respond in a “timely manner”.
Azarashvili is scheduled to participate in high-level meetings at the Assembly on the importance of equal access to health services and the fight against tuberculosis.
Georgia’s healthcare system spent over 200 million GEL (about $60.2 million) on its Covid-19 response in 2020, reports local media outlet Interpressnews (IPN).
Pregnant Covid-19 patients in Georgia will be able to use online obstetrician and gynaecologist services in the upcoming days, Georgian Deputy Health Minister Tamar Gabunia announced earlier today. She also stated that the coronavirus Delta strain ‘is riskier for pregnant patients than for other individuals.’
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the lending arm of the World Bank Group, has approved €73.1 million under the 'Emergency COVID-19 Response Project' for Georgia. The project aims to help the government’s efforts to mitigate and address the health and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
UNDP Head in Georgia Louisa Vinton says Georgia’s response to the pandemic has undoubtedly saved lives and it will be studied in the future as a best practice. "But here, as everywhere in the world, COVID-19 has also exposed social vulnerabilities and economic imbalances. The UNDP therefore welcomes the resolve of Georgia’s leaders to go beyond ‘business as usual’ to design a recovery plan that builds on the positives and neutralizes the negatives to map out a path to a green, fair and inclusive future”, said Vinton.