Medical News
in Georgia
Healthcare in Georgia is provided by a national - universal health care system under which the state funds medical treatment in a mainly privatized system of medical facilities. ...
Responsibility for purchasing publicly financed health services lies with the Social Service Agency (SSA).
Current healthcare system
Since 2013, there has been a radical change of direction in health financing policy as a new government embraced the move towards universal health coverage rather than targeted benefits.
Comprehensive Medical insurance is inexpensive - around $45 per month with 80% coverage on medications.
Contact us to find out which plans you can apply for.
Below are articles on the Georgian Healthcare System and links to local news posts. These should help you understand the quality and capability on the medical services in Georgia.
Private Health Care Investment
Below I have listed both news articles pertaining to the Georgian National Healthcare System and the private medical groups who are investing in the growth and development of the Georgian healthcare industry and their partnership with the governments vision for universal health care coverage.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is investing 19.5 million Georgian lari in JSC Evex Hospitals’ local currency corporate bond issuance. The proceeds of the issuance, combined with the company’s internal accrual, will refinance some of Evex Hospitals’ debt and support the company to achieve better operational efficiency, quality of services, and governance.
The total bond issuance is 50 million Georgian Lari ($17.4 million). Evex Hospitals is the leading hospital provider in Georgia and is wholly owned by the London Stock Exchange-listed Georgia Healthcare Group PLC through its subsidiary JSC Georgia Healthcare Group.
ADB Country Director for Georgia Mr. Shane Rosenthal and Evex Hospitals’ Director Mr. Giorgi Mindiashvili met at today’s signing ceremony in Tbilisi to formalize ADB’s investment.
“This investment supports Georgia’s universal health care program to provide access to better health care for Georgians,” said Mr. Rosenthal. “It also highlights ADB’s continued support for capital market development in Georgia, especially through the deepening of its corporate debt securities and local currency bond market. We are delighted to support dual efforts to develop the capital market and to invest in the country’s human capital.”
ADB has supported Georgia since 2007 and is one of the country’s largest multilateral development partners. To date, ADB’s sovereign and nonsovereign loans to Georgia total about $3.5 billion, including in capital market development. In November 2019, ADB raised 85.05 million Georgian lari from its first Georgian lari-denominated offshore bond issuance.
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. In 2018, it made commitments of new loans and grants amounting to $21.6 billion. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.
UK-based bank holding company Bank of Georgia Holdings Plc’s Georgia Healthcare Group subsidiary has signed a binding Memorandum of Understanding, subject to relevant regulatory approvals, to acquire 50.0% equity interest in Georgian hospital operator GNCo, with effective management and operational control over the company, the bank said on Monday.
GNCo is a holding company that owns 100% of High Technology Medical Center University Clinic a 450-bed major and established referral hospital in Tbilisi, which provides a range of in-patient and out-patient services, including the largest department of oncology radiotherapy in Georgia.
HTMC is the single largest hospital in Georgia, the bank said.
The acquisition of this new hospital is consistent with the company’s announced strategy to grow its healthcare services business through targeted hospital acquisitions focusing on Tbilisi.
Upon completion of the acquisition, GHG’s portfolio will include 41 healthcare facilities and 2,670 beds across Georgia, further increasing the gap with the nearest competitor and offering increasing number of patients an access to quality healthcare.
Bank of Georgia Holdings PLC is a UK-incorporated holding company of Bank of Georgia. Bank of Georgia is a Georgian bank that offers a broad range of corporate banking, retail banking, wealth management, brokerage and insurance and healthcare services to its clients.
As of 31 March 2015, the bank served approximately 1.5m client accounts through one of the largest distribution networks in Georgia, with 219 branches, the country’s largest ATM network, comprising 554 ATMs,2,245 Express pay (self-service) terminals and a full-service remote banking platform and a modern call centre.
The Batumi Infectious Diseases Hospital that was renovated by the Turkish Cooperation Coordination Agency (TİKA) has now become the epicenter of the fight against the new coronavirus in Georgia.
The hospital, which increased in capacity thanks to the contributions of Turkey, opened on Nov. 22. last year, and now has become the epicenter of the fight against the new type of coronavirus in the country.
According to the statement by the Georgian government, the number of people infected by coronavirus reached 24, and 288 people are placed under quarantine are showing symptoms.
As one of the three health centers in Georgia where the new coronavirus can be diagnosed and patients can be treated, Batumi Infectious Diseases Hospital is the only health center serving in Western Georgia's Acara, Gurya and Samegrelo regions.
Statistical overview of health status
Life expectancy
In 2018 the average life expectancy for Georgians was 76.6, which lies just below the European average of about 78 years (2014). The life expectancy is 72.5 for males and 80.9 for females.
Fertility and mortality rates
In 2016 the total fertility rate is 2.24 children per woman. Live birth rate is 15.2 per 1000, and mortality rate is 13.7 per 1000. In 2016 infant mortality rate was 9.0 per 1000 live births, and the under-5 mortality rate was 10.7. By 2030, the Maternal mortality rate is expected to drop to 12, and the under-5 mortality rate is expected to drop to 6.0. Maternal mortality is 23.0 per 100,000 live births in 2016. While still high in international comparison, maternal and infant mortality rates have been steadily decreasing.
Disease and leading causes of death
In Georgia, as in the most countries, mortality burden is mostly due to non-communicable diseases. The major causes of death are diseases of the circulatory system, neoplasms, diseases of respiratory system and accidents and injuries. The leading position in the structure of morbidity is associated with Diseases of the respiratory organs, digestive system and circulation system. Infectious diseases are still the source of significant health problems, especially MDR tuberculosis.
Organizational structure of healthcare
Regulation
Organizational Structure of Health care System (MoLHSA)
The health care system in Georgia is highly decentralized and was extensively privatized from 2007 to 2012. Regulations are also very liberal and MoLHSA is now working to ensure the quality of care provided is adequate.
In 2013, the enactment of a universal health care program triggered universal coverage of government-sponsored medical care of the population and improving access to health care services.
In 2014 the Government of Georgia approved Georgian Healthcare System State Concept 2014-2020 “Universal Healthcare and Quality Management for Protection of Patient Rights”.
This is a vision of healthcare system development that comprises sector development in relation to principles and values recognized at international and national levels.
Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs (MoLHSA) is formally accountable for the health of the population, oversight of the health system, the quality of health services and equity in relation to access to health care throughout the country.
There are Legal entities under state control of the Ministry: LEPL “Social Service Agency” (SSA), LEPL “National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health” (NCDC), LEPL "State Regulation Agency for Medical Activities (SRAMA) and LEPL Emergency Situations Coordination and Urgent Assistance Center (ESC&UAC).
Administration and management of the Health and Social Care - State Programs including UHC is provided by SSA, which is subordinate institution under the MoLHSA. SSA's territorial offices are located at 68 municipalities with more than 2000 employees.
The NCDC is a legal entity of Public Law accountable to the MoLHSA with a dedicated line in the State budget. The NCDC provides national leadership in preventing and controlling communicable and non-communicable diseases through developing national standards and guidelines, health promotion, disease surveillance, immunization, laboratory work, research, providing expert advice, and responding to public health emergencies.
SRAMA is formally responsible for issuing and control the licenses and permits for health care facilities, regulating medical professionals and pharmaceuticals.
ESC&UAC Ensures/coordinates quality emergency medical and referral assistance for improving the state of health of the population during the disaster and martial law situations.
ESC&UAC is functioning in all municipalities of the country except in the capital city. At this time 85 medical branches are included. Following extensive privatization and decentralization, most providers in primary and secondary level are private for-profit entities in terms of ownership, governance and management. Many of them are vertically integrated with private health insurance providers and pharmaceutical companies.
The development of professional medical associations in Georgia is still at an early stage although there are many of them in existence. Since 2005, the major activity of professional associations has been supporting the MoLHSA in its endeavor to elaborate national clinical practice guidelines and protocols.
Numerous international partners such as WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, World Bank, USAID, EU, Global Fund, etc. strongly support the health sector in Georgia.
Infrastructural Development
Agenda.ge, 28 Mar 2020 - 16:58, Tbilisi,Georgia
A new hospital has opened in the village of Rukhi located about a kilometre from Enguri Bridge, which connects Russia-occupied Abkhazia with the rest of Georgia.
The hospital has the capacity to accept 100 patients and is fully equipped with modern technologies. A dormitory has also been provided for the family members of patients undergoing treatment on the territory of the 41 million GEL hospital.
Hospitals
The number of hospitals was large during the Soviet era. In 1999, there were 246 hospitals in Georgia (or 287 specialized, including specialized institutes) provided 22,491 hospital beds. By 2015, there were 12,830 hospital beds (2014 - 11,675) in the country.
The number of beds per 100,000 population was 345.1 (2014 - 313.3), with an occupancy rate of occupancy rate 193.1 (2014 - 188.3), ALOS of 5.3 (2014 - 5.2), and a turnover rate of 36.4 (2014 - 36.3). Following the introduction of the universal health care program, a rapid growth of the admissions was observed in both outpatient and inpatient institutions.
Compared to 2012, the hospital service provision for 100,000 population increased by 50%. In 2015 the numbers of encounters of the population with outpatient facilities grows to 4.0 per 1 person (2.1 in 2012).
Notable hospitals in Georgia include the following:
American Hospital Tblisi
Batumi Hospital for Infectious Diseases
Bochorishvili Clinic, Tbilisi
Cardiology Hospital, Tbilisi
Clinical Hospital No. 1, Tbilisi
Clinical Hospital No. 4, Tbilisi
Clinical Hospital No. 9, Tbilisi
Clinical Hospital of The Tbilisi I. Javakhishvili State University, Tbilisi
E. Pipia Public Clinical Hospital, Tbilisi
Geohospitals, Zestafoni
Gori Military Hospital, Gori
Kutaisi Referral Hospital
Kutaisi Hospital for Infectious Diseases
Mental Clinical Hospital, Tbilisi
N. Kipshidze Central Clinical Hospital Of Tbilisi State Medical University, Tbilisi
N. Barnov Hospital, Tbilisi
Sachkhere Hospital
Tbilisi Central Hospital, Tbilisi
Tbilisi Republican Hospital, Tbilisi
Tbilisi Hospital for Infectious Diseases
University Clinic, Tbilisi
War Veterans Clinical Hospital, Tbilisi
Zugdidi Referral Hospital
Zugdidi Hospital for Infectious Diseases
Hospitals in Abkhazia:
Gagra Central District Hospital, Gagra District, Abkhazia
Gagra Resort Hospital, Gagra District, Abkhazia
Gali Central Hospital, Gali District, Abkhazia
Gudauta Hospital, Gudauta District, Abkhazia
Sokumi Hospital, Sukhumi, Abkhazia
Hospitals in South Ossetia
Republican Tskhinvali hospital, Tskhinvali
Mobile Hospitals from Russia, established in 2020
