From August 15, Georgia’s opioid substitution treatment program is fully managed by the state, with all private therapy centers closed. The service will now be provided free of charge to beneficiaries.
Health Minister Mikheil Sarjveladze said 1,512 people have already registered for state treatment, while around 100 people have not yet given consent to continue the program.
The move follows a June 25 decision by the Georgian Dream party to exclude private providers from the program. Party chairman Irakli Kobakhidze said there was “reasonable suspicion’ that some private companies were supplying narcotics rather than focusing on treatment.
