Socially excluded Kakhetians (East Georgian region) had previously received medical cards within framework of governmental Program for Overcoming Poverty. However, now they have been forced to hand in these cards to the employees of district policlinics within the Kakheti Region as well as district departments of Social Subsidy Agency (SSA).
Human Rights Center ( HRIDC) found out that insurance companies are providing 3 GEL for every confiscated medical card to the representatives of policlinics and SSA. The socially excluded residents of the Kakheti Region were told that they will not get social benefits after all and that they will be unable to use the medical cards. However, they were told that they have to return the cards.
Now instead of being provided assistance socially excluded people will now have to pay for medical treatment in clinics and hospitals. It appears that without having access to medical aid cards that the hospitals or policlinics will be able to have higher profit at the expense of the poor.
A lawyer of HRIDC states that the fact of the confiscation of medical cards is illegal and the doctors as well as SSA employees are guilty of misusing their powers.
Gela Mtivlishvili, Tbilisi