The World Health Organization Regional Director for Europe, Hans Kluge, hailed the Georgian reforms on medicines accessibility as “exemplary.”

Speaking at the 73rd Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe following the meeting with Georgian Health Minister Zurab Azarashvili, Hans Kluge said that the reference pricing introduced in the Georgian health system reduced costs of oncology medicines by 45%.

“If people can’t afford to go to the doctor or pay for medicine, it’s not just a practical issue, but an ethical problem because people lose trust in governments, in us. However, there are many good examples. I have recently visited wonderful Tbilisi, Georgia, to discuss with the Minister how Georgia managed to regulate prices for medicines,” he said.

Georgian Deputy Health Minister Tamar Gabunia took part in the two-day Global Conference on Primary Health Care, held as a side event at the 73rd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Tamar Gabunia said that over the past two years, the Georgian government significantly increased funding to ensure comprehensive service for patients diagnosed with cancer and people who need rehabilitation. She highlighted the significant investments to improve the financing of medicines for chronic diseases and cancer.

The 73rd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe, which reports on the progress in delivering the European Program of Work (EPW) 2020–2025. EPW focuses on tackling growing health inequalities in Europe.