Georgian Health Minister Hopeful of a Better Year Ahead in Battle against COVID-19
Georgia’s Minister of Health and an expert in medicine, economics and business management, believes a “turning point” will be reached next year in the battle against the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Speaking at a specially convened panel at the 2020 gathering of the World Innovation Summit for Health, Her Excellency Dr. Ekaterine Tikaradze, said: “2021 will be a turning point in the fight against coronavirus pandemic both in the world and in Georgia. We have constant communication with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and various international partners regarding the vaccine against COVID-19.
“Georgia is involved in the WHO Solidarity Research and works closely with the US and European centres for disease control and COVID management through its Clinical Management Team. For the first time, digital technologies will be widely introduced in health care as well. All this gives us hope that next year through vaccines, modern methods of treatment, adherence to the rules of infection control by the population, it will be possible to defeat the pandemic.”
Commenting about the biggest challenge her country faced and the most important lesson learned, she said: “I believe that it is crucial to develop communication and shared experience. Georgia has timely and correctly assessed the risks associated with the virus and has used all mechanisms to prevent the virus from spreading within the country. The Government launched the first phase of fighting the pandemic a month before the first case of the virus was confirmed. An intensive communication campaign was also launched to prevent the spread of the virus and to raise awareness and social distancing. The slogan ‘Stay At Home’ was active for this period.
“Support of international and donor organizations to mobilize financial and technical assistance and to mitigate the effects of the crisis should also be noted. I would like to take this opportunity and express special thanks to all the donor organizations and international partners, financial institutions and diplomatic missions for their words and support rendered to the Ministry to efficiently respond to the pandemic.”
HE Dr. Tikaradze was speaking at the virtual WISH 2020 alongside other expert panellists: Dr. David Nabarro, WHO Special Envoy on COVID-19; Prof. Dame Sally Davies, England’s former Chief Medical Officer and a Special Envoy on Antimicrobial Resistance; Dr Anders Tegnell, Sweden’s State Epidemiologist; and Dr. Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State in the Ministry of Communications and Information, and the Ministry of Health, Singapore.
WISH, an initiative of Qatar Foundation, is a global healthcare community dedicated to capturing and disseminating the best evidence-based ideas and practices with a mission to create a healthier world through global collaboration.
Virtual WISH 2020 is featuring more than 100 sessions and 300 global speakers to discuss evidence-based content addressing some of the world’s most pressing health challenges, as well as showcasing health innovation from around the world.
The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) is a global healthcare community dedicated to capturing and disseminating the best evidence-based ideas and practices. WISH is an initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) and is under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, its Chairperson.
The inaugural WISH Summit took place in Doha in 2013 and convened more than 1,000 global healthcare leaders. Through international summits and a range of ongoing initiatives, WISH is creating a global community of leading innovators in healthcare policy, research, and industry.
Together, they are harnessing the power of innovation to overcome the world’s most urgent healthcare challenges and inspire other stakeholders to action.
Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) is a non-profit organization that supports Qatar on its journey to becoming a diversified and sustainable economy. QF strives to serve the people of Qatar and beyond by providing specialized programs across its innovation-focused ecosystem of education, science and research, and community development.
QF was founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Emir, and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, who shared the vision to provide Qatar with quality education. Today, QF’s world-class education system offers lifelong learning opportunities to community members as young as six months through to doctoral level, enabling graduates to thrive in a global environment and contribute to the nation’s development.
QF is also creating a multidisciplinary innovation hub in Qatar, where homegrown researchers are working to address local and global challenges. By promoting a culture of lifelong learning and fostering social engagement through programs that embody Qatari culture, QF is committed to empowering the local community and contributing to a better world for all.