Low salaries, heavy workloads and the crisis in clinics were among the issues raised by “For Georgia” MP Ketevan Bakaradze during the parliamentary Health Committee’s discussion of the initial 2027 budget draft.
Bakaradze said that while wage increases are planned for nurses in emergency services and rural outpatient clinics, the situation of hospital nurses, particularly those in intensive care and resuscitation units, remains unclear. She said nurses often care for more patients than permitted under existing standards, warning that the situation could develop into a deeper crisis.
Bakaradze also noted that the Health Ministry’s wage fund for public employees is increasing despite staff numbers remaining unchanged. Health Committee Chair Zaza Lominadze said minimum salary and patient-to-nurse standards were already in place, while Bakaradze responded that these standards are often violated.
Deputy Health Minister Irine Tsakadze said imposing additional wage obligations on private clinics could ultimately increase the burden on patients. She noted that the minimum hourly pay for nurses was set at GEL 4.90 last year, while further increases would depend on how the GEL 10 billion healthcare budget is allocated. “Let’s see how we distribute the GEL 10 billion allocated to us,” Tsakadze said.
