Regional Coordination Committee in Telavi (Georgia) fights for access to treatment for drug users

In late April, the Regional Coordinating Committee (RCС) held a Steering Committee Meeting in Telavi (Georgia). The purpose of the meeting was to elaborate and to adopt RCC petition to the Municipality of Telavi for the including funds in the Municipal budget for treatment of drug addicted people.

The 9th Meeting was held on 30 of April at the meeting room of the Democracy Involvement Centre Office, Telavi City. Representatives of non-govermental organizations and municipal structures as Step to the future Telavi Office;  USAID Democracy Centre; Telavi Municipality; Telavi Probation Bureau; Drug addiction Centre Telavi; Telavi Hall Social and Health department; Infectionist-ltd “Salbuni”; Tanadgoma Telavi Office; GYLA (Georgian Young Lawyers Association) Telavi; IOM (International Organization of Migration) took part in it.

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During the meeting, Davit Kazaishvili, “Bridging the Gaps: Health And Rights For Key Populations” Project Coordinator, and Davit Gongadze, Bemoni Social Bureau Director, introduce briefly meaning and importance of the petition and introduced its content: to include funds in the Municipal budget for treatment of drug addicted people. This petition is a good opportunity to impact on the decision to allocate money for the treatment of drug users. Several changes were made in the text; some corrections and recommendations were considered and provided. Finally petition was adopted and sent to other RCC members for signing.

 

Also during the meeting Davit Ghonghadze and Shota Rainauli (Infectionist) made presentation about C Hepatitis Elimination Governmental program. Booklets and printed materials were disseminated among participants and Journalists.

Drug use and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are both major public health issues in Georgia. However, treatment for drug users in the country is still very limited, as is the access to Hepatitis C prevention, and only in 2015 launched the C Hepatitis Elimination Governmental Program to anyone who needs it.

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