PM says Universal Healthcare boosting life expectancy as social spending surges

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has credited Georgia’s universal healthcare programme with improving public health outcomes, including an increase in national life expectancy by three years.

Speaking during his annual address to Parliament, Kobakhidze described the universal healthcare system as one of the government’s most successful reforms. “This programme covers practically the entire population and continues to operate effectively. The results are impressive,” he said.

According to the Prime Minister, healthcare spending has more than quadrupled since 2012, leading to a drop in out-of-pocket payments - from 73% to 41%. He said the previous administration had neglected the health sector, but the current government had made public health a priority.

Kobakhidze also highlighted “continued investment” in rural healthcare infrastructure. During the reporting period, 22 outpatient clinics were built and equipped, construction began on 12 more, and four additional clinics were planned. Equipment was also upgraded in 50 existing facilities.

The Prime Minister said the increase in life expectancy and improved healthcare outcomes were reflected in Georgia’s growing pensioner population, which rose from 683,000 in 2012 to 869,000 in 2024 - an increase of 186,000.

“This growth is a direct indicator of the success of our healthcare and social programmes,” Kobakhidze told lawmakers.

He confirmed that the government had fulfilled its promise to raise pensions by 35 GEL in 2025. Pensioners under 70 now receive 350 GEL monthly, while those over 70 receive 450 GEL. Additional supplements apply to pensioners living in mountainous regions.

Social welfare spending has also seen increases, he said. The budget for the State Programme for Social Rehabilitation and Child Care has grown from 76 million GEL to 95 million GEL.

Housing for internally displaced persons (IDPs) remained a focus, with 2,022 families provided with new homes in 2024 and 682 more accommodated in early 2025.

Kobakhidze further reported that 563 million GEL has been allocated for the rehabilitation and construction of kindergartens, with a total of 885 facilities planned for refurbishment or new construction. Of these, work has been completed on 71 kindergartens, while 243 are currently under development.

Construction and rehabilitation were completed in 110 schools, and work was underway in 296 more. The government has also launched projects to build and rehabilitate 22 additional schools and has started building four new vocational education centres, in addition to one already completed.

“These efforts reflect the scale of investment we are making in human capital, from early childhood to adulthood,” Kobakhidze claimed.