The Central Republican Hospital’s 250 employees have begun receiving compensations, according to a Ministry of Health announcement on Sunday.

On 22 January, then PM Irakli Garibashvili announced that a “modern, international-standard” state clinic would be built on the base of the Tbilisi-based Central University Clinic, also known as the Republican Hospital.

The Ministry of Health said it had held talks with more than 10 medical institutions to offer alternative work opportunities for Republic Hospital personnel.

According to the Ministry, employees have to pick one of these options:

• Any employee who works only at the Republican Hospital will get a one-time pay equal to 12 months’ salary;
• If the healthcare worker already works at another institution, he or she will earn four months’ income as compensation;
• For medical professionals who decline to apply for 12 months’ compensation, the Ministry of Health will employ the same job in another medical clinic as well as reimbursement for four months’ income;
• Medical staff who do not work in another institution and the Ministry cannot offer them alternative employment, will be paid a monthly salary for 3 years until they are employed.