Georgian Health Minister says people with disabilities receive broadest benefits under universal healthcare programme

Georgian Health Minister Mikheil Sarjveladze on Wednesday said people with disabilities receive the greatest level of benefits and privileges under the country’s universal healthcare programme, highlighting the Government’s ongoing efforts to improve access to healthcare and employment support.

Speaking in Parliament during an interpellation session, Sarjveladze stated that persons with disabilities benefit from extensive support measures under state programmes, both in healthcare and employment.

“For persons with disabilities, the universal healthcare programme provides, practically, the greatest number of benefits and privileges,” the Minister said.

According to Sarjveladze, between 2023 and 2025, a total of 1,785 job-seeking persons with disabilities participated in activities carried out under the programme, with 494 of them securing employment.

He noted the Government approves the State Employment Promotion Programme each year, which includes sub-programmes aimed at supporting employment in the open labour market. While these measures apply equally to all job seekers, persons with disabilities enjoy preferential rights in certain cases.

Sarjveladze said this preferential treatment forms an important part of the Ministry’s policy.

He also announced that from 2024 an electronic registry system for persons with disabilities has been introduced, allowing all authorised medical institutions to record information on disability status in a unified system.

According to Sarjveladze, the Ministry plans to begin targeted individual support for persons with disabilities who have completed vocational training or retraining programmes, with the aim of helping them secure employment.

He added that carers, guardians and supporters of persons with disabilities or disabled children will also be included in priority employment support groups, alongside existing predefined categories.

“This will encourage greater active employment among those supporting persons with disabilities,” Sarjveladze said.