Parents of children with Duchenne disease plan protest at public broadcaster

Parents of children diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy on Tuesday said they will gather outside the Georgian Public Broadcaster on Wednesday to demand airtime and raise awareness of their calls for state-funded treatment.

In a statement, the group said they had twice requested broadcast time to discuss the issue publicly with government representatives and medical experts but had not received a response. They now plan to assemble at 17:00 on 29 April outside the broadcaster’s headquarters in Tbilisi.

The parents are urging members of the public to join them, saying their aim is to “fight together to save the children”.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a severe genetic condition that causes progressive muscle degeneration from an early age and significantly shortens life expectancy. According to the group, around 100 children in Georgia are affected.

The parents say they have been seeking a meeting with Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze for the past three months, without success. They are calling on the government to fund access to necessary medication, a demand that has also been the focus of recent demonstrations.