Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has announced plans for a brand new reform of Georgia’s healthcare system, saying structural weaknesses are pushing many citizens to seek medical treatment abroad despite the costs involved.
Speaking on Imedi TV, Kobakhidze said the uneven quality of healthcare services remains a serious challenge, particularly in specialized areas and requires a comprehensive, strategic response rather than fragmented or short-term measures. He argued that only a long-term, system-wide plan can raise healthcare standards in Georgia to levels comparable with countries such as Turkey, Germany, Israel or Austria.
The Prime Minister stated that the government intends to develop a detailed healthcare strategy that will address all main segments of the system and enable not only incremental improvements but fundamental transformation. He emphasized that the reform process should be driven by professional expertise and invited experienced and highly qualified medical specialists to take part, stressing that their input is more important than political debate.
Kobakhidze placed the planned healthcare reform within a broader vision for the country’s development, noting that the government is preparing an 11-year strategic roadmap extending to 2036. He said that the education sector as a cautionary example, saying that the absence of a clear strategy in the past led to slow progress and limited results, ultimately making a large-scale reform unavoidable.
