The project was implemented in the period of October 2007- December 2008 in partnership with National Center for Disease Control and Medical Statistics (NCDC), Ministry of Labour, Health, and Social Affairs (MoLHSA), and Pediatric Division of Tbilisi State Medical University, and with the financial support of PATH. The project aimed at enhancing Diarrhea Disease (EDD) Control Initiative in Georgia and carrying out activities in support of countries in the EE/CA region to implement their national diarrheal disease control plans.

Several countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EE/CA) struggle with high rates of diarrheal disease morbidity and mortality among young children.

These new interventions, rotavirus vaccines, zinc treatment, and low-osmolarity oral rehydration solution (ORS), complement existing approaches such as oral rehydration therapy (ORT), exclusive breastfeeding, and improved sanitation and hygiene, and will contribute significantly to meaningful reductions in morbidity and mortality in many countries. Introduction of these new interventions is hampered by a lack of awareness and diminished prioritization for diarrheal disease control. To overcome this, PATH has created the Diarrhea Disease (EDD) Control Initiative. The goal of EDD is to reprioritize diarrheal disease control at the country-level and develop or revise national diarrheal disease control plans to ensure rapid up-take of new prevention and treatment interventions, and to reinforce the use of established interventions.

With this aim, under the leadership of PATH/CIF, national working group in Georgia developed the Strategic Plan to improve the control of DD in Georgia with focus on children under-5 for 2008-2010. The plan was presented in Tbilisi, Georgia on January 23-24, 2008 at the EURO/Central Asia Regional workshop “Rotavirus and Diarrheal Disease Control,” held in the frame of the Project. The workshop brought together 50 representatives from EE/CA countries, WHO, UNICEF, and GAVI to share the current evidence, and determine the level of interest, needs, priorities, and concerns of the stakeholders. Participants from following eight countries of EE/CA region attended the workshop: Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz republic, Moldova, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. Participants included leaders and representatives of various sectors involved in child health care, infectious disease surveillance and control, and immunization.

Other activities carried out in the frame of the project:

Develop the National Quality Assurance Manual on Diarrheal Diseases for laboratory system. The Manual covers the following diseases: Salmonellosis, Shigellosis, Escherichiosis, Campylobacteriosis, Cholera, Adenovirus, Non-Polio Enterovirus, Rotavirus, Norovirus infections, Hepatitis A, Amebiasis. The QAM is available on Georgian, English and Russian languages;
Review and provide Recommendations on the National Breastfeeding Indicators;
Inform local pharmaceutical manufacturers on the new treatment methods (new formulation ORS, zinc) by providing useful materials, assisting in contact building to facilitate appearance of new products at the local market;
Incorporate the modern recommendations for Diarrheal Diseases control into the Family Medicine and Paediatrics Residency Program training curricula;
Update the National Immunization Program financial management tool (cMYP) that enables to estimate and project costs of the Rotavirus vaccination introduction in the routine immunization calendar.