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Doctors Cannot Receive Salaries Despite President’s Warning

May 31, 2012

“I want to strictly warn insurance companies. I will not put up with even one-day delay of distributing salaries in the hospitals. I do not care how they will manage it; let them walk on their ears but those people shall timely receive their salaries,” President Saakashvili stated on February 9. Nevertheless, employees of Gurjaani and Sagarejo district medical centers had not received their salaries of April by May 29 either.

President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili opened a new multi-profile medical center of the Insurance Company GPI Holding in Gurjaani on April 24.

“The administration of the hospital changed after the new medical center was opened; the personnel were reduced. More than 20 people were sacked. All these procedures were explained by optimization and promised we would receive our salaries timely. However, we have not received our April salaries yet though we are under management of the Geo Hospital since the beginning of 2012,” the doctors of the Gurjaani Medical Center told the ICK.

Neither the employees of the Sagarejo Medical Center have received salaries of April. Moreover, several nurses told the ICK that they have not received their March salaries either. GeoHospitals Ltd is owner of both medical centers; the former is the umbrella company of the Insurance Company GPI Holding.

“We are meager salaries – 150-200 GEL, but they do not pay it either. A lot of people apply to our hospitals but doctors prescribe out-patient medical treatment even those who need in-patient treatment in order to reduce the expenses of the insurance company,” the nurses said.

Regional manager of the Geo Hospital Ltd Ioseb Mgaloblishvili confirmed that doctors of the Gurjaani Medical Center have not received April salary yet; and added that the company has serious reason for having delay in distributing salaries.

“If there is no reasonable ground [for the delay], the insurance companies must be punished; but as far as I know, they have some reason for the delay. However, I do not know details,” Ioseb Mgaloblishvili said.

ICK got in touch with Davit Jorbenadze, director of the Geo Hospitals but he did not comment on the issue saying he was busy. Neither representatives of the Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Welfare commented on the issue.

“I would like to underline that no delays in the distribution of salaries shall be observed in any of the hospitals after they started working. I want to strictly warn insurance companies, if they hinder salaries anywhere, we will impose strictest sanctions on them. We must work on the increase of salaries of doctors and junior medical personnel. I will not put up with even one-day delay of salary distribution. Let them walk on their ears but these people shall receive their salaries on time,” President Mikheil Saakashvili stated at the opening ceremony of a hospital in Tetristskaro on February 9, 2012.

Despite this warning, doctors have not received salaries. They avoid complaining loudly because they are afraid of losing job.

Natia Danelishvili, ICK

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