Organization the “Young Barristers” addresses government to urgently react on problems of emergency system of Georgia and discusses the issue of first aid effectiveness as a priority of health system reform.

“Ministry of Health of Georgia must instantly respond to first aid system challenges and problems in order to benefit from available health care” – the lawyer of the organization Jaba Sirabidze says.

According to the “Young Barristers” significant budget cuts of emergency aid is alarming. According to state budget of 2014, 9.9 million GEL has been spared for first aid and medical transportation, while more than 13.7 million GEL was spared in 2013 and more than 23 million GEL in 2012. Based on evaluations of the organization, the budget cuts cannot provide available medical service in Georgian regions; However, an increased budget can solve up to four problems of the system - upgrade of current infrastructure, provision of qualified staff in the system, promotion of vocational education of current medical staff and raise salaries.

In frames of implemented monitoring will pay attention to the fact that emergency medical center lacks medical brigade. This is an important problem, since the brigade cannot provide an instant displacement to a certain area, threatening life and health of the patient. For example, 10 automobiles are available in the whole region of Guria, 12 automobiles in Adjaria and 15 – in Mtsketa – Tianeti region.

The “Young Barristers” remarks, that often emergency medical brigade cannot find the right address, complicating a provision of timely first aid to the patient. The problem is especially important in the regions, where villages of various municipalities have no addresses. First aid is often needed during a nighttime but the emergency brigade cannot travel from city to a village due to address problems. According to established practice, family of the patient usually meet the emergency brigade in the center of a village or/and at another usual place, in order to take the doctor to the patient, thus complicating provision of urgent first aid.

The “Young Barristers”, in order to solve current health system problems, offers the government of Georgia the following:

1. It is important to take this problem into consideration and take additional funds from the state budget to provide a better medical service and patient transportation program, upgrade the current infrastructure, provide qualified staff in the system, promote vocational education of current medical staff and raise salaries.

2. Government of Georgia in cooperation with local self-governments shall create a proper address system in municipalities and provide it electronically.

3. Government of Georgia in cooperation with local self-governments shall create district medical centers. On the first stage it is important to apply the program on bigger villages of municipalities and create a local medical centers and a working infrastructure.

The “Young Barristers” will pay attention to first aid provision in the process of passenger displacement and in cooperation with the Government of Georgia will address JSC “Georgian Railway” with a recommendation package. According to the organization, JSC “Georgian Railway” does not pay an adequate attention to the need of setting a medical office in a train. Usual occasions mark that JSC “Georgian Railway” must consider the passenger interests from this point of view.  A passenger who displaces during a nighttime or/and daytime, cannot be provided with a qualified first aid.

The organization will address Government of Georgia with a recommendation package in order to solve the issues of first aid medical problems and will request an effective decision-making on the issue.