Nino Nizharadze, the Minister of Health and Social Protection of Adjara spoke in session of the Health Protection and Social Affairs Committee of the Supreme Council of Adjara about the planned changes in the 2024 budget. She also talked about the Ministry’s programs which will be implemented on priority basis.
Nino Nizharadze in his address at the session stated ” Taking into account the various needs of the population, it is planned to implement innovative plans and changes in the current year’s programs of the Ministry. From the month of August a new program namely, Material Support of socially vulnerable families will be launched. The target group under this program will be families with at least one member under the age of 16 and a rating score of less than 150,000.”
As per the Minister the proposed changes are planned in the existing programs that provide one-time material assistance. Moreover one-time assistance for citizens over 100 years old will be increased to 1500 GEL instead of 1000 GEL. At the same time “one-time financial support for families of newborn twins” will also be increased to 1500 GEL per twin instead of 1000 GEL and the total budget amount will increase to 37000 GEL.
Minister further highlighted that “The proportion of the population is changing under different categories like beneficiaries under children, disabled people and the elderly are increasing as well.”
The necessary provision of appropriate services and their availability is a significant factor in improving the health and social status of the beneficiaries as well as in the prevention of various health-related risks. Therefore we considered it urgent to increase the number of beneficiaries.
As per the information available the changes are also planned to finance expenses related to genetic profiling (molecular-genetic research) of children under 18 with genetic diseases. Similarly the dental (therapeutic, surgical) medical services will be financed for persons under 30 years of age with disability status. Bone marrow transplantation if necessary will be funded for oncohematological patients and some immune system and hereditary diseases.
According to the change the Ministry’s 2024 budget will increase by 10 million GEL taking it to a total of 61255000 GEL. The minister expresses hope that the budget will improve the health services in the region in many ways in the future as well.
