Plans to Mortgage the Shua Kalaki Paediatric Hospital

The dangers faced by mortgaged hospitals have become a topical issue following the recent events surrounding the paediatric clinic Shua Kalaki. According to the trade unions, the hospital is to be mortgaged soon. The head of the Doctors Union Joni Janashia has told TV3 that the owner of the clinic is planning to repay his debts towards the Mayor’s Office by mortgaging the building, thereby endangering the functionality of the hospital. According to Mr. Janashia, the appointment of a new administrator by the Mayor’s Office could lead to the profile of the hospital building being changed, or even to demolition.
Protests against the appointment of a new administrator by the Mayor’s Office are continuing at the Shua Kalaki hospital. According to the staff, the privatisation of the medical units has not led to an improvement in infrastructure and the quality of service. The staff have confirmed that there are plans to mortgage the hospital, which will endanger the jobs at the clinic.
The President of the Association of Georgian Banks Zurab Gvasalia has stated that if a medical unit is to be mortgaged, then its profile will be retained, based on the presence of the appropriate provisions in the contract.