The mountain doctor on call in Georgia
The mountain doctor on call in north-east Georgia – in pictures
From The Guardian, 18 July 2023
Irakli Khvedaguridze rides his horse, Bichola, on his way to visit a patient. Photograph: Tomer Ifrah
Irakl Khvedaguridze, 81, is the only licensed doctor across 386 sq miles of mountainous region, serving a dwindling community of Tush people. During the summer and early autumn, he gets to his patients on his white horse, Bichola. When the snow gets too deep, Khvedaguridze converts his shoes into skis using birch planks nailed with wide canvas. Once the snow rises above his knees, he can only travel on foot