Health and Social Development

On September 18, 2007 Mr. Tom Adams, Coordinator for Europe and Eurasia in the U.S. Department of State, Mr. Zurab Melikishvili, Governor of Kvemo Kartli and Mr. Robert Wilson, USAID/Caucasus Mission Director visited Marneuli maternity house. During the tour in the maternity house, Mr. Adams talked with doctors and nurses about their activities, successes and future needs. Mr. Adams announced the expansion of the U.S. Government's assistance in maternal and child health to Kvemo Kartli. 

In Georgia the attitude of the population towards persons with disabilities (PWDs) is one of the major determinants of their isolation. It is society who prevents them from active civil participation. A person with a disability is totally dependant on his/her family, and does not feel like a valuable member of society. People with disabilities suffer from dependence on assistance, pessimism, and lack of initiative. Such a situation is unacceptable and is incompatible with the recognized norms of civil co-habitation.

On May 18^th, a Candlelight Memorial was held in downtown Tbilisi through the USAID-funded Sexually Transmitted Infections/HIV Prevention project by Save the Children and its partner organizations - a drug and alcohol abuse clinic, Bemoni Public Union and the peer educating and counseling center, Tanadgoma.  The First Lady Ms. Sandra Roelofs attended the vigil, lighting one of the candles to remember those who have died of AIDS.  Representatives from the international secretariat also participated.

As of June 3, a total of 1,651 HIV cases were officially registered in Georgia.  Equivalent to 300 new infections in the first three months of 2008, this 10% increase in the total number of known cases may signify the beginning of an exponential growth of the epidemic. Nearly 65% of all reported infections were contracted through intravenous drug use, with the average age of first injection at 18 years old.  

Marking the end of a successful project and promoting public awareness, USAID's Tuberculosis Treatment and Control Program held an exhibition on June 26th, highlighting children's drawings on TB.  The lack of knowledge of the disease and its associated stigma frequently cause patients to discontinue treatment or refuse therapy all together.  In an effort to convey important messages about TB to Georgian society, young art students aged seven to fifteen were asked to create designs on four important messages: "TB is Curable", "TB Diagnosis and Treatment are Free&

On August 1, Georgia's Minister of Labor, Health and Social Affairs, Alexander Kvitashvili, US Ambassador to Georgia H.E. John Tefft, and the Vice-Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, Gigi Tsereteli, honored the first group of 33 MBA health management specialization graduates.  This marked the successful completion of the first hospital administration and health insurance management coursework. 

Following the release of the August 18 UN Flash Appeal, USAID/OFDA provided an additional $1 million to WFP to coordinate the distribution of emergency relief supplies and $750,000 to the UNICEF on August 22 for water, sanitation and hygiene issues in conflict-affected areas. UNICEF's activities will include repair of water and sanitation infrastructure in IDP collective centers.

The new National Strategy and Three-year Action Plan for Special Needs Management for Children with Disabilities was presented at the pilot school of Tbilisi by the Ministry of Education and Science.  This school is one of the first educational institutions in Georgia where children with disabilities are included in the mainstream educational process.  The strategy is intended to integrate children with disabilities into all schools in Georgia over the next three years.

The U.S. Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. to Georgia, Kent Logsdon; the Governor of Shida Kartli, Lado Vardzelashvili; and other representatives of the Government of Georgia attended a ceremony in the village of Ortasheni highlighting the launch of a critical U.S. Government program, designed to preserve livestock in the zone of the recent conflict with Russia.

USAID's Georgia Emergency Medical Services project has launched a new mini-residency program in emergency medicine.  The program is implemented by Emory University (Atlanta), together with Tbilisi State Medical University, Kipshidze Central University Hospital (Tbilisi) and Partners for International Development.  The aim of the program is to train the first generation of emergency medicine specialists. These specialists will not only practice emergency medicine, but eventually serve as trainers themselves.