Georgia, Tbilisi, July 1 / Trend N. Kirtskhalia /
The Georgian government plans to transfer state-owned medical facilities to foreign management, Georgian Minister of Health Sandro Kvitashvili said.
He said that talks are being held with a Canadian company concerning the Republican Hospital, which won the relevant tender.
As for the new plan to reform the hospital sector, in which the main players are insurance companies, about 46 new hospitals are planned to be built across Georgia, Kvitashvili said.
"The process involved 10 insurance companies. Construction work will begin later this month. Construction of hospitals with 50 beds each, according to the conditions of the tender, should be completed before the end of 2011, major medical institutions - by the end of March 2012, he added.
MPs appreciated the information provided by Minister of Health.
Chairman of the Committee Otar Toidze considers the decision to include insurance companies in the project for the construction of new hospitals as reasonable.
"The insurance sector is so developed in recent years that they have successfully dealt with healthcare business. I am sure that no company will violate the agreements, otherwise it will be removed from the sector. It will have to pay a fine to the state budget to the amount of one million lari", Toidze said.