Georgia forms WHO-standard emergency medical team

Georgia has established an emergency medical team that meets the standards of the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Ministry of Health said on Saturday.

To assess the team’s readiness, a field simulation exercise for the EMT-1 unit was held near the Tbilisi Sea area in the country’s capital city. The Ministry said the drill aimed to test response speed, coordination and the effective management of resources.

The exercise scenarios simulated mass-casualty disasters, including floods, earthquakes, landslides and technological accidents. Participants practiced triage, emergency treatment and patient evacuation.

The EMT unit is designed to provide emergency medical assistance in field conditions during crises both inside Georgia and, if necessary, abroad.

The team includes doctors, paramedics, nurses and logistics and technical staff, who are trained to rapidly deploy and set up a field emergency hospital capable of receiving patients of varying severity upon arrival at an incident site.

Health Minister Mikheil Sarjveladze said the creation of the team strengthens the country’s preparedness for various types of crises. He thanked EMT members for their professionalism and dedication, noting their work is important for managing both emergencies and everyday medical challenges.

The project is being implemented in cooperation with the World Health Organisation. If the verification process is successfully completed, the EMT-1 team will receive international classification, enabling it to operate at the global level.