Hosting Club Discussion on Mental Health Policy

On December 16th Curatio International Foundation in partnership with UK-Georgia professional Network (UGPN) hosted policy club discussion on Mental Health policy issues.

The meeting focused on development of recommendations for the improvement of the existing mental health service provision system in the country, specifically, how services should be organized on a primary health care level, in hospitals and shelters.

The policy club discussion was organized in the framework of the “Strengthening Civil Society Capacity to Promote Research Evidence for Policy Development in Georgia” project aiming at building the skills of civil society organizations on improved provision of the evidence in policy making process. The project is implemented by the Curatio International Foundation with the financial support of Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research (AHPSR) and Open Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF).

Dr. Manana Sharashidze, the Chairman of the Georgian “Mental Health Coalition’ made a presentation that covered the issues like why mental health should be a priority policy issue for the government? Description of the current mental health system and problems deriving from this system; She also provided recommendations for the improvement and discussed expected results.

Mr. Nikoloz Pruidze, the Deputy Minister of the Minister of LHSA informed participants the Georgian Government’s recent policy decision that for 2010 Health filed becomes the priority direction for the Government of Georgia (GoG). The Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs (MoLHSA) in turn declared that mental health will be one of the top priorities for the MoLHSA. Therefore, Mr. Pruidze proposed to forge close cooperation around improving mental health system and the Ministry will appreciate very much relevant professional associations/experts input in it.

It was agreed that the mental health associations/experts widely using international experience will develop detailed recommendations for improvement of the mental health service provision, which will be discussed and agreed with the MoLHSA to modify existing metal health policy accordingly.

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