Georgia Meets the Year 2024 with Strengthened Primary Healthcare
For Caritas Czech Republic, the year 2023 has been a pivotal year. As part of their four-year initiative to strengthen primary healthcare in Georgia, the organization has successfully updated clinical protocols and guidelines while providing qualified family doctors and IT solutions to support primary healthcare services throughout the country.
Primary healthcare is a crucial sector within the healthcare system, responsible for disease prevention, public health promotion, and management of acute and chronic illnesses. Recognizing its significance, Caritas Czech Republic began working on primary healthcare reform in Georgia in 2017, in collaboration with the Czech and Georgian governments.
Through their partnership with the Ministry of Health of Georgia, Caritas Czech Republic focused on several key areas: improving the quality of primary healthcare services through the development of management tools, creating centralized IT systems, and establishing updated qualification standards for primary healthcare personnel.
One of the project’s notable achievements is the implementation of updated clinical protocols and guidelines. Family doctors in Dusheti and Zugdidi municipalities underwent training to ensure they were well-versed in the latest evidence-based protocols. Supportive supervision was also provided to ensure the protocols were effectively implemented in practice.
This initiative has led to notable improvements in the quality of medical documentation and patient registration systems in rural ambulatories. Medical personnel have started utilizing electronic medical records, and nurses are now more involved in the management and prevention of common health issues in primary healthcare.
Goderdzi Todua, a family doctor in the rural ambulatory of Narazeni village, Zugdidi municipality, expressed his gratitude for being a part of the training sessions facilitated by Caritas Czech Republic. The project has allowed him and his colleagues to enhance their qualifications and keep up with the latest medical information.
The project also tackled the development and implementation of information systems for primary healthcare. As part of this effort, Caritas Czech Republic created the COVID-19 laboratory system (CovidLab) and a unified queuing, telemedicine, and referral system. These systems played a crucial role in managing laboratory samples and coordinating vaccination efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Moreover, the project worked on the digitization of medical records and the establishment of a comprehensive management information system for primary healthcare facilities. These electronic systems have already been adopted by several medical institutions and piloted in various municipalities. The goal is to expand their use nationwide and continue developing them in the future.
It is worth mentioning that Caritas Czech Republic collaborated closely with the Ministry of Health of Georgia on legislative documents to streamline the digitalization process in the healthcare sector.
Aleksandre Turdziladze, a project expert from Caritas Czech Republic, highlighted the wide-reaching impact of the project. Its benefits extend to 46 medical institutions and 142 medical personnel in rural areas across Dusheti and Zugdidi municipalities. Ultimately, the project aims to benefit the entire country, with its results being handed over to the Ministry of Health of Georgia.
Caritas Czech Republic has been dedicated to supporting the health sector in Georgia through various initiatives. They strive to improve the quality of primary healthcare services, strengthen oncological disease prevention, enhance maternal and child healthcare services, and develop IT solutions for managing the primary healthcare system.
This project has been made possible through the funding of the Official Development Assistance of the Czech Republic and the collaboration between the Czech Development Agency, Caritas Czech Republic, and the Ministry of Health of Georgia.
The achievements made in strengthening primary healthcare in Georgia reflect a significant step forward in providing accessible, high-quality healthcare services to the population. With updated protocols, qualified professionals, and advanced IT systems, Georgia is better equipped to improve public health outcomes and address healthcare challenges effectively.
