Mikheil Saakashvili opened a new multi-profile hospital in Zestaponi, which complies with all modern standards. Highly qualified personnel will serve the patients of a new 35 bed clinic. The President of Georgia toured the hospital and visited its first patients.

“There were one or two such maternity departments in Tbilisi. While working at the Tbilisi City Assembly we had free maternity hospital vouchers. It is true that people benefited from these vouchers, but I remember that the private maternity clinics had the best conditions for the patients and giving birth cost 2000-3000 GEL back then. It also has to be noted that those private clinics did not have better conditions than this one currently does. There are such clinics in all regions now, which were only accessible to millionaires or people with means in the past. The population of Zestaponi is still living in fairly poor conditions but this hospital, which has been built specifically for them, is creating an example of equality. First of all, the population will not have to travel far in order to get medical care and most importantly, they now have a clinic that was only accessible to the elite in the past” – stated the President of Georgia.

The high tech clinic, which was built by the insurance company “Irao” within the scope of the hospital sector development project, provides ambulatory, stationary, pre-hospital and maternity care. The new hospital is equipped with ultramodern technology and it employs 100 people, mostly local residents.

The Head of State also met with the population gathered around the hospital today and talked to them about the planned projects. Mikheil Saakashvili mentioned development of the insurance system and noted that people should get medical care through such insurance.

“Zestaponi is an extremely important place for us. Moving the Parliament to Kutaisi will revive the entire region, including Zestaponi. It is the priority of our government to develop this region and relocating the Parliament building here envisions economic stimulation of the Imereti region which needs important assistance in this sense. People should be employed and the factory of colored metals alone will not be able to provide this. A lot more needs to be done” – he stated while talking with the population.

Mikheil Saakashvili also touched on the issue of certifying teachers and noted that this is extremely important for each teacher in order for their salaries to grow and for them to give children sufficient knowledge.