MANILA, PHILIPPINES (17 April 2024) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a €46.3 million ($50 million) policy-based loan to help improve access to quality and affordable health care in Georgia.

Under ADB’s Health Sector Enhancement Program, the bank will disburse the financing once the government has implemented a range of reforms to improve health sector governance and regulation, increase publicly funded primary health care and specialized outpatient and diagnostic services, and enhance the sector’s operational efficiency and financial sustainability.

“This program represents ADB’s comprehensive and integrated package of support to improve health care in Georgia,” said ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Yevgeniy Zhukov. “While it will help improve health care for all, this program will be particularly beneficial for the poor, women, and vulnerable groups.” 

Georgia has high levels of noncommunicable diseases—including heart disease, hypertension, cancer, and diabetes—which reduce life expectancy and healthy aging. Strengthening government-funded primary health care and outpatient services can help to manage these diseases—most of which are preventable. 

The program supports the redesign of the government’s primary health care benefits package, which should lead to better service coverage becoming more affordable especially for the poor and vulnerable. It also enables strategic purchasing to increase the share of quality health care providers contracted and supports changes in digital information systems to efficiently manage health care programs.

“As part of improving health services, this program will also help Georgia prepare its health care providers and the general public against the impacts of climate change that affect health,” said ADB Senior Health Specialist Brian Chin. “Among the government actions supported are the establishment of an early warning system and an information campaign on climate-induced hazards such as heatwaves.” 

ADB has supported Georgia since 2007 and is one of the country’s largest multilateral development partners. ADB’s loans, grants, and technical assistance to Georgia total $4 billion.

ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.