Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said that decisions regarding the financing of medication for children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy must be guided by responsibility toward taxpayers, stressing that the funds under discussion are public money.
Speaking to journalists, Kobakhidze said the amount in question — whether 50 or 60 million GEL — does not come from personal funds but from taxpayers.
“This is the people’s money. The only thing that can restrain us is responsibility toward the Georgian people,” the Prime Minister said while responding to questions about funding medication for children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Kobakhidze claimed that while allocating the funds might be politically advantageous, the government has a responsibility to ensure budget resources are spent rationally and effectively.
“The easiest thing for us would be to take these 50 million and spend it — that would be the simplest and most politically advantageous decision. But there is another side: responsibility toward the people to spend budget funds rationally,” he said.
The Prime Minister added that the government must assess whether the spending would produce “real results” or merely benefit what he described as a “pharmaceutical mafia.”
“We must ask whether this money will be spent effectively and produce real results, or whether it will simply enrich the pharmaceutical mafia. If we are convinced it will bring tangible results, then of course there is no question. But if we feel it will only enrich pharmaceutical intermediaries, then it becomes difficult to make such a decision,” Kobakhidze stated.
He also said there had previously been cases in Georgia where “easy solutions” were adopted under public pressure, resulting in the spending of tens of millions without tangible outcomes.
“If the government continues this way, the pharmaceutical mafia may introduce new demands, potentially reaching even one billion lari, without producing results,” he added.
Regarding a possible meeting with the parents of children affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Kobakhidze said consultations should continue within the Ministry of Health, where, he claimed, the necessary expertise exists.
The Prime Minister also said the government is ready to discuss the issue with all stakeholders, including the Church and the Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia.
“We are ready to talk with everyone, first of all with the Patriarch and the Church on all issues, including this one. We have a specific position today, but if someone convinces us otherwise, everything is possible,” Kobakhidze said.
Image source: 1tv.ge
