A recent baseline study evaluates Georgia’s Universal Health Care Program, launched in 2013, through the lens of the right to health, with particular attention to persons with disabilities. While the program has achieved notable progress, including expanded coverage and reduced out-of-pocket costs, significant challenges remain regarding equitable access, quality of care, system sustainability, and transparency in decision-making.
The study identifies gaps in the legal framework and highlights deficiencies in transparent policy-making, which affect the fairness and accountability of health service delivery. Universal Health Coverage is not fully realized, with cost barriers and inequities persisting, especially for people with disabilities. Geographic disparities also exist, with weak primary health care and uneven service distribution between urban and rural areas.
Oversight mechanisms and patient protections are also under strain. Problems were noted with referral committees, quality monitoring, internal complaint systems, and the independence and transparency of regulatory bodies such as the Medical and Pharmaceutical Activity Regulation Agency and the Professional Development Council. These weaknesses reduce the effectiveness of existing patient rights and accountability measures.
The study applies international human rights frameworks, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, alongside the “accountability for reasonableness” approach, to assess the effectiveness of legislative guarantees and regulatory mechanisms in practice.
Produced with the support of the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the report underscores that while Georgia has made strides toward universal health coverage, achieving equitable, high-quality, and accountable health care for all remains an ongoing challenge.
