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Category: Policy Work

  • Mental Health Care in Georgia, 2014

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In 2014 Curatio International Foundation conducted a study on financial barriers of the mental health system. The study employed qualitative research methods, as well as literature review and secondary data analysis.

    CIF prepared a policy brief document, which presents main barriers existing at the different levels of the system creating access problems to adequate and quality services for the population.

    Read the document >>[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][ultimate_spacer height=”30″][vc_simple_slider ids=”5810″][ultimate_spacer height=”30″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • Development of a Strategic Plan to Strengthen Health Information System in Georgia

    Development of a Strategic Plan to Strengthen Health Information System in Georgia project was financed by the Health Metrics Network (HMN). The project started in April 2007 and was completed in March 2008.

    The aim of the project was to formulate a sound health information system and development of the strategic plan aligned with HMN standards. The project focused on assisting the Government of Georgia (GoG) in identifying and convening country stakeholders from health, statistics, and development agencies; assessing the current health information system using the HMN Toolkit; and composing a comprehensive, prioritized, and budgeted Health Information System Strategic Plan.

  • Rapid Assessment of Pharmaceutical Sector and Drug Supply Chain

    Rapid Assessment of Pharmaceutical Sector in Uzbekistan project was funded by The World Bank and implemented by Curatio International Foundation in partnership with Credes (France). The project commenced in 2003.

    The main objective of the project was to perform a rapid assessment designed to gather information on different issues like drug policy and regulation, strategic framework, product selection, forecasting methods, procurement mechanisms, quality assurance, storage, transport, and reporting. Other issues studied were the structures of public and private distribution systems, the types and values of drugs flowing through, and the availability of essential drugs.

    The Rapid Assessment covered the following major tasks:

    Review the relevance of several rapid assessment tools that are available (through WHO, John Snow Inc, Management for Sciences for Health, and Boston University);
    Adapt the tools for Uzbekistan;
    Gather data using several defined methodologies, such as in-depth interviews, focus groups, record review, flow-charting;
    Compile and triangulate the data and seek clarifications where data shows conflicting results;
    Compile a report providing a review of each of the supply chain functions, their strengths and weaknesses;
    For a sample of drugs, collect data on the base price for drugs manufactured or imported into Uzbekistan, other additional costs such as duties, clearing charges, taxes, storage fees, and transport costs, markups, dispensing fees for drugs that pass through the public and commercial and semi-private systems;
    Conduct a literature review of both published and gray materials on pharmaceuticals and Uzbekistan;
    Present findings in a stakeholder workshop.
    In order to obtain the most precise picture of the sector, the following activities were conducted:

    Meetings with the MoH, Pharmacology Committee and CPIB to clarify the objective of the assignment and the organization of the mission;
    Preparation and definition of a methodology for rapid assessment and development of approach for completion of study;
    Meetings and discussions with key partners, stakeholders and policy-makers.
    Assessment design was performed considering the following steps:

    Define the method of interview and rapid appraisal techniques (in-depth interviews, record
    review);
    Identify and select the geographic sites to be visited and the major stakeholders to be met;
    List the major topics to focus on;
    Organize the teamwork and review the activities schedule;
    Sample the drugs for the prices analysis.

  • Health Insurance for Poor: Georgia's Path to Universal Coverage

    The study assesses the impact of Medical Health Insurance (MIP) for the Poor on equity in access to essential health care services and financial protection against health care costs for the poor and general population. The document briefly describes identified accomplishments and shortcomings of the public private partnership in realization of MIP and discusses emerging policy options and policy recommendations on the future of MIP.

    The study was financially and technically supported by the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research/World Health Organization and carried out by Curatio International Foundation.

    View the Policy Brief-Medical Insurance for the Poor: impact on access and affordability of health services in Georgia

    View the Policy Brief- Health Insurance for the Poor in Georgia, Content, Process and Actors

    Read the Full Study Report- Health Insurance for Poor: Georgia’s Path to Universal Coverage

     

  • Contributing to publishing the paper: Circus monkeys or change agents? Civil society advocacy for HIV/AIDS in adverse policy environments

    Curatio International Foundation has contributed to publishing the paper that explores the factors enabling and undermining civil society efforts to advocate for policy reforms relating to HIV/AIDS and illicit drugs in three countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia: Georgia, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine. The paper was published on the world’s leading scientific papers’ source Sciencedirect.com in the rubrics: Social Science and Medicine.

    The paper looks at political contexts and explores how the civil society actors’ strengths and weaknesses inhibit or enable advocacy for policy change – issues that are not well understood in relation to specific policy areas such as HIV/AIDS, or particular regions of the world where national policies are believed to be major drivers of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The study is based on in-depth interviews with representatives of civil society organizations (CSOs) (n = 49) and national level informants including government and development partners (n = 22).

    Development partners and government tend to construct CSOs as service providers rather than advocates. While some advocacy was tolerated by governments, CSO participation in the policy process was, ultimately, perceived to be tokenistic. This was because there are financial interests in maintaining prohibitionist legislation: efforts to change punitive laws directed at the behaviors of minority groups such as injecting drug users have had limited impact.

    Read the full paper online or download PDF.

  • Price, availability and affordability of medicines in Georgia-2009-2011

    The present report unveils the findings of the study “Price, availability and affordability of medicines in Georgia” implemented over the course of three years- 2009-2011 in the capital Tbilisi and regional cities. The study was supported by the World Bank and the Open Society Institute.

    The survey looked at availability and price of Innovative Brands and their equivalent low price generics, analyzed collected data by type of medicine, regional differences as well as by type of pharmacy. The survey also looks at medicine mark-ups and compares with mark-ups in European countries, measures affordability of standard treatments as percent of average subsistence monthly allowance and provides comparison of the standard treatments by innovative brands and equivalent low price generics.

    The present report “Price, availability and affordability of medicines in Georgia” attempted to obtain reliable data on these aspects and documents tendencies of change over the course of three years. Over the course of three years the study covered almost all licensed pharmacies and 52 types of medications in the capital Tbilisi and regional cities.

    The power point presentation document and brief study report can be viewed here (yet avaialble only in Georgian).

  • Findings of the pharmaceutical market study in 2009-2011 years

    The key aim of the study is to improve affordability and availability of medicines for the population.

    Based on a three-year observation of pharmacies and different medicines in Georgia, Curatio International Foundation studied the practice in the pharmaceutical sector and came up with recommendations based on research findings. The recommendations will be presented to the broad audience of the health sector – the Health Care Committee of Parliament, the Ministry of Health, the insurance sector and other interested parties.

    Giorgi Gotsadze, the Curatio International Foundation Director: “Through the study we provide strong evidence to decision and policy makers on the current condition of the pharmaceutical market. We hope that this study will foster debates between the interested parties”.

    The study was conducted using the methodology of the World Health Organization (WHO). The survey looked at prices and mark-ups of 52 medicines (brand-name medicines and their cheap generic equivalents) over the period of three years in licensed pharmacies nationwide.

    The survey measures the quality of access to medicines in both pharmacy chains and independent pharmacies. In 2011, Pharmadepo and Parmacenter added to the pharmacy chains involved in the survey (PSP, Aversi, GPC) in 2009-2010.
    The survey looks at the access to medicines by years as well. It analysis the impact of amendments made in 2009 to the Law on Drugs on the access to medicines and medicine prices in Georgia. The survey analysis how the changes influence the patients’ treatment costs in patients with different diagnosis.

    The survey has found that:

    • The market has witnesses a tougher rivalry since 2009, which has likely led to the reduction of markups of brand-name products. Markups decreased most in 2001;
    • The year 2011 witnessed an increase in access to both brand-name products and their cheap generic equivalents;
    • Despite improved affordability the market is experiencing a lack of generic products;
    • Access to medicines varies by regions. Access, especially the access to generic medicines, in some regions is still low;
    • The level of access is highest in the Pharmadepo/Pharmacenter pharmacy chain and lowest in independent pharmacies, which is likely to be the result of unequal competition among pharmacies;
    • Even though there is a decreasing trend in medicine markups, the markups in Georgia are higher than in European states, which means that Georgian importers add more funds to medicine prices than European ones (which should respectively lead to higher profits). Consequently, the share of pharmaceutical costs in the national healthcare spending in Georgia is much higher compared to European states.
    Impact on Standard Treatment Costs:
    • There has been a decreasing trend in the standard treatment price for the past three years;
    • In 2011 standard treatment costs decreased more in case of treatment by brand-name medicines compared to treatment by generic products, however the treatment by generic medicines requires less spending because of low retail price of such medicines.
    The survey of prices and availability of medicines was divided into three phases and conducted in Georgia in 2009-2011. The first and third stags were financed by the World Bank, while the second one – by the Open Society Institute.CIF presents the results of the study exploring “Price, availability and affordability of medicines in Georgia”.

    Study presentation and small study report (available in Georgian).

  • Contribution to the development of National Health Care Strategy 2011-2015

    Curatio International Foundation has contributed to the development of National Health Care Strategy 2011-2015: “Affordable and Quality Health Care”. Under the current strategy, the government intends to improve population health through a reduction of disease burden and mortality by 2015. In order to achieve these goals, the government of Georgia has drawn up five strategic objectives and defined 26 strategic initiatives which are expected to be implemented over the course of coming five year period.

    Over the past several months the Foundation experts have worked extensively with the GoG and offered analytical support as well as strategic inputs in the process of strategy formulation.

    To review the document please follow the link.

  • Prices, Availability and Affordability of Medicines in Georgia-the New Study Report Endorsed

    In December 2010 CIF wrapped up the second stage of the study exploring “Price, availability and affordability of medicines in Georgia”.

    The study aimed at increasing awareness of civil society and improved access to medicines for the population through strengthening respective evidence. Field works during the first stage of the study were conducted in December 2009, while the second phase in July 2010. During the second phase the research covered four Georgian regions involving 146 pharmacies.

    The present report “Price, availability and affordability of medicines in Georgia” attempted to obtain reliable data on these aspects and documents tendencies of change over the course of 6 months in 2010. The survey looked at availability and price of Innovative Brands and their equivalent low price generics, analyzed collected data by type of medicine, regional differences as well as by type of pharmacy. The survey also looks at medicine mark-ups and compares with mark-ups in European countries, measures affordability of standard treatments as percent of average subsistence monthly allowance and provides comparison of the standard treatments by innovative brands and equivalent low price generics. Though the study has not covered all therapeutic categories, these do not detract from the importance of the above results as basis for action and as baseline for future studies.

  • Prices, Availability and Affordability of Medicines

    The present report   “Price, availability and affordability of medicines in Georgia” attempted to obtain reliable data on these aspects and documents tendencies of change over the course of 6 month in 2010. The survey looked at availability and price of Innovative Brands and their equivalent low price generics, analyzed collected data by type of medicine, regional differences as well as by type of pharmacy. The survey also looks at medicine mark-ups and compares with mark-ups in European countries, measures affordability of standard treatments as percent of average subsistence monthly allowance and provides comparison of the standard treatments by innovative brands and equivalent low price generics.  Though the study has not covered all therapeutic categories, these do not detract from the importance of the above results as basis for action and as baseline for future studies. Authors: Tamar Gotsadze, Natia Rukhadze, Tinatin Turdzeladze; 2010. The full version of the report in available in Georgian.