Patients with serious illnesses demand access to medication

05.09.2024

Article published on the ru.netgazeti.ge

Patients suffering from various serious illnesses and their families have been holding rallies in front of the Government Administration Building for a second day, demanding permanent access to vital medicines.

Today, they submitted an appeal to Georgia’s Prime Minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, demanding that he meet the Health Minister and introduce timely effective measures to address this issue.

“The lack of availability of medication is a constant problem in this country. At several times during the year, there is a shortage of drugs and little or no funding for medicines and research which is putting patients’ lives at risk. We are demanding our right to health, life-saving medicines and research and a public meeting with the Health Minister. Unless action is taken by Government within the next ten working days to address our concerns, the protests outside the State Chancellery building will go on indefinitely”, the statement reads.

One of the first decisions taken by Mikheil Sarjveladze on becoming Health Minister was to set aside funds for an unlimited supply of drugs for cancer patients. The previous annual financial limit was 25,000 lari which, according to patients, had prevented them from receiving medication and other essential services.

Initially, cancer patients and their families welcomed his decision and expressed their thanks to the Minister. However, it later transpired that the State would only provide funding for specific drugs. According to the Minister, the department “has a list of medication from which patients can choose what they need and that there is no cancer disease whose treatment is not covered by the programme”

Source: https://ru.netgazeti.ge/63185/