Georgia’s Minister of Health, Mikheil Sarjveladze, delivered a speech at the general debate held as part of the 79th session of the World Health Assembly.

The Minister spoke about the healthcare reforms implemented in Georgia, noting that following the introduction of the universal healthcare programme, over 95 per cent of the population now has access to state-funded services.

According to the Minister, the pharmaceutical reforms carried out in recent years, including the introduction of reference pricing, have significantly improved access to medicines.

“Over the course of the past decade, we have continued to strengthen our healthcare system through reforms aimed at improving accessibility, quality, and financial protection for the population. Since the launch of the universal healthcare programme, more than 95 per cent of the population has access to state-funded healthcare services. Access to essential medical care has been considerably expanded, whilst out-of-pocket payments by citizens have decreased substantially. In recent years, we have implemented significant pharmaceutical reforms, including the introduction of reference pricing mechanisms and managed entry agreements, which have improved access to medicines and enabled us to abolish the annual limits on medications for the treatment of oncological and chronic diseases under state programmes,” Mikheil Sarjveladze declared.

The Minister also spoke about the ongoing reform of primary healthcare, which is grounded in prevention, quality care, and patient-centred services.

Mikheil Sarjveladze noted that the reform encompasses new funding mechanisms, digital transformation, and the introduction of quality standards and outcomes-based approaches.

Participating in the 79th session of the World Health Assembly alongside Mikheil Sarjveladze are: Zaza Lominadze, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Healthcare and Social Affairs; Lela Sulaberidze, Head of the Strategic Development and Analytics Department of the Ministry of Health; and Aleksandre Maisurаdze, Permanent Representative of Georgia to the United Nations Office in Geneva and other international organisations.