“Great Trade” In the Hospitals Sector

Shorena Kakabadze, Kutaisi

“Universal Declaration on Human Rights” states that everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate to satisfy their health and well-being. Everyone has the right to good health regardless of his or her ethnicity, belief and social-economical conditions. It is natural that this international document applies to Georgian Citizens too concerning their rights for health protection and other rights.

One of the main priorities for any government should be the protection of these rights. The principle point is that the government should feel responsible. “Georgian people will be grateful to their authorities if the latter decides to carry out serious reforms in field of public health. After several years we will have renovated hospitals and optimal conditions for doctors and patients so that they can feel comfortable in hospitals,” stated Lado Chipashvili, former Minister of Healthcare when he presented the General Plan for the Development of the Hospital Sector. The presentation was followed by a discussion on the privatization process of the hospitals throughout Georgia. This process has become a topic of public contention lately, particularly from doctors.

“They are the selling hospitals and nobody knows what the situation will be in future. We will face mass unemployment and constant complaints from patients who won’t have enough money to pay for medical treatment. A hospital will be purchased by an investor, which will spend millions of GEL to equip it. This will be followed by the imposition of high prices for medical treatment; it is quite natural. Thus, many people will not be able to afford treatment,” said doctors.

According to the Georgian Ministry of Healthcare, 193 medical institutions have been included on the privatization list, 175 of which are located in the regions and 18 in the capital. The state-owned hospitals will be assigned to investors based on their bids. They are required to carry out assumed responsibilities within three years and present the results of their activities.

“The reason for privatization was the state’s inability to maintain those hospitals. The state cannot come up with enough resources to provide high-technological services to patients. The reason is also due to economical and geographical access. Private companies will take better care of these institutions. Ownership in private hands is associated with self-regulation and efficiency. The current condition of our medical centers is a perfect example for the need for such a new situation,” said Kakha Nuralidze, Director General of the Intervention Medical Centre of the Western Georgia.

This clinic has been functioning in Kutaisi since January 16, 2006 and remains a topic for boasting bt the “Rose Government”. Although, like many other hospitals in Kutaisi, which have been purchased by “Block-Georgia,” “Aversi” and “PSP”, it still remains a state clinic. This is due to the unfinished privatization process.

“With the support of Georgian-Czech Building Company, “Block-Georgia” Georgian created a unique clinic equipped according to European Standards. The idea was faced with many opponents but it is now the leader among Georgian hospitals. Many important operations were carried out here that were impossible to be conducted in other clinics. The clinic was constructed because there was the need for high-technological medical service. Western Georgia, which was to an extent greatly abandoned, deserves to have similar unique medical centers,” said Kakha Nuralidze.

Although the Kutaisi Clinic was equipped with the best technical equipment imported from Europe and high-qualified specialists were invited from the capital, many are dissatisfied. Locals complain about the high price of medical service.

“It is good but very expensive. My mother underwent an operation for her hernia on her spine and it cost nearly 2000 GEL. How could I find such a large sum of money when the majority of people are unemployed? As for the professionalism of the medical personnel and service, I do appreciate it. I am very grateful to them,” said Nato Goduadze, a resident of Kutaisi.

The director of the Medical Centre associates the high prices with the high level of service there. “In Kutaisi we were the first to bring a computer tomography with 64 layers; before that the clinic did not even have ordinary computer tomography. Similar apparatuses do not exist in any other post-soviet states. It was introduced to Tbilisi several months ago but we have had it for three years already. It is only natural that expenses are going to be high. Believe me when I say that a person who traveled to Tbilisi for medical treatment had to pay unofficial money to doctors besides the official price.  They had to pay much more for treatment than they would pay at our centre. It is noteworthy that nearly one hundred high-qualified doctors that have been invited from the capital and other regions of Georgia work here. It does not happen in other hospitals.”

Until other hospitals will be renovated by investors, patients from Kutaisi should apply to the National Medical Centre of western Georgia. The clinic has 100-130 beds, and despite high prices (operations here cost from 5000 to 8300 GEL) it does not lack patients. However, reportedly other local clinics have not been able to function since the Medical Centre was opened. Furthermore, doctors worry about up-coming reductions in staff.

“Everybody will be able to expose his/her skills. Doctors will be trained and if any one of them fails to promote him or herself, it will be only their fault. The human rights of both doctors and patients shall be protected at all times. A non-qualified doctor in the clinic means that patients’ rights are breached. A low-qualified doctor is equal to an armed criminal. So it is time to arrange everything,” said Nuralidze.

Until everything is arranged and the Great Trade finishes, the directors of Kutaisi based hospitals prefer not to comment on the situation. They, like other doctors, do not doubt their professional abilities, but they are really doubtful that the process will be carried out without additional problems regarding the professionalism of staff.

Doctors from Tbilisi are discussing the problem very actively. Human Rights Center’s Tbilisi office is currently undertaking a journalistic investigation on the situation, which will be published in near future.