PC National Coordinator activities during year 2006
1. Establishment of the office at the Committee of Health
Care and Social Affairs of Parliament of Georgia (Address:
2,Chiaureli St. Tbilisi, Georgia).
2. Organization of the meeting for creation of working group (commission) which
has to prepare "Palliative Care National Program". The First Lady of
Georgia - Sandra Roelofs, members of Parliament of Georgia, representatives of
Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Affairs, State United Social Insurance Fund
of Georgia have participated in this meeting. 17 members were elected in the
commission. Improvement of legislative-normative basis of Palliative Care and
drug availability (optimization of pain management), which should regulate
importation, administration, prescription and reception of different forms of
opioids was defined as one of the main goals of a commission.
3. Publication and distribution among health Care Professionals and policymakers
of the Report of Jan Stjernsward (WHO and OSI International expert) -
"Georgia National Palliative Care Program". Report was issued on both
- English and Georgian Languages; its electronic version was presented by
internet (http://www.parliament.ge/files/619_8111_336972_Paliativi-Eng.pdf)
4. Publication of two handbooks of "Palliative Care" for
students of Medical Universities and Medical Colleges;
5. Publication of WHO Guidelines for Assessment - "Achieving Balance in
National Opioids Control Policy".
6. Conduction of the course "Pain management in patients with incurable
diseases" in Batumi for the professionals of Primary Healthcare network.
The course was accredetized by the Counsel of Continuous Medical Education and
Professional Development;
7. Coordination of the meeting in Batumi, which was organized by "Center of
Oncoprevention", with participation of members of Parliament of Georgia,
devoted for further promotion of creation of Palliative Care National Program in
Georgia;
8. Establishment of the elective (facultative) course of "Palliative
Care" in Tbilisi State Medical University, which was passed by more then
100 students for the end of May 2006;
9. Promotion to organization of the session of Committee of Health Care and
Social Affairs of Parliament of Georgia (May 24, 2006) dedicated to the further
development of Palliative care in Georgia http://www.parliament.ge/index.php?lang_id=GEO&sec_id=301&info_id=12239)
10. Establishment of department of Gerontology and Palliative Care at Alexsandre
Natishvili Institute of Morphology. This department is financed by government
budget. At present it serves as an organizational center of Home based
Palliative Care Mobile Teams (2 teams). This Department should become a future
center for Continuous Medical Education and Professional Development of
physicians involved in provision of Palliative Care Service, theoretical
training of nurses and other healthcare professionals. Department of Gerontology
and Palliative Medicine should realize the out-patient management of children,
adults and elders, who are in need of Palliative Care. It is also planned to
arrange the educational center for the students of Tbilisi State University and
at least 2 medical colleges.
11. Translation of "Hospice Admission Criteria for cancer and non cancer
Diagnosis" provided by hospice of wake country (USA).
12. Conduction of the informational study course for health care professionals,
pharmacists and policymakers (including the members of the Parliament of
Georgia) dedicated to the further development of Palliative Care and changes in
laws and legislations regulating end-of-life care.
13. Promotion to organization of meeting dedicated to International day of
Palliative Care and Hospices at National Cancer Center Hospice.
14. Participation in united proposal applied from Georgia to "Global
Fund" for inclusion of large component of Palliative Care
in treatment and management of AIDS patients;
15. Arrangement of detailed discussion with the leaders of Ministry of Health,
Parliament Health and Social Committee and State United Social Insurance Fund
regarding development and distribution of home based Palliative Care Services
throughout Georgia via the 5 centres (Tbilisi and 4 regional centres) and 12-15
mobile teams. From November, 2006 PC National Coordinator's office (within the
OSI (OSGF) financed project "Law and Health") is planning the tours in
the regions. The mentioned activity consists of holding (organization) of
informational lectures in Tbilisi and regions of Georgia for all those
healthcare professionals, who are involved in relationship with patients in need
of Palliative Care (4 lectures in Tbilisi and 8 in different regions). Lectures
should contain complete information about manufacture (or delivery),
administration, prescription, issuance and consumption of different forms of
pain relief drugs worldwide, also pharmacology and pharmacokinetics of different
forms of narcotic pain relief drugs, legal and ethical aspects of importance of
pain relief.
16. Presentation of the new project: "Implementation of Palliative Care
Service for children".
17. Implementation of Palliative Care Educational Program into the curricula of
nursing schools;
18. Creation of resolution of Palliative Care National Coordinator Office by
Parliament Health and Social Committee dedicated to further promotion of
Palliative Care National Policy.
19. Organization of the municipal Palliative Care Sub-Program (as a small
component of Out-Patient Program) resulted in financing of second Palliative
Care Mobile Team in Tbilisi.
20. Purchasing of the motor vehicle "SUBARU" - by the help of
the First Lady's Humanitarian foundation SOCO, which serves for
transportation of patients (if necessary) and organizational activities of
Association and PC National Coordinator's office as well.
21. Creation of Special 1-year educational-training program for health care
professionals decided to receive the sub-specialty "Palliative Care".
22. Promotion to organization of Caucasian Palliative Care Resource and Training
Center in Tbilisi;
23. Promotion to Public awareness into organizational and bioethical issues of
Palliative Care by support of organization of TV-translations, printed
media-materials, etc.
24. Selection, translation and preparation of the guidebook on Palliative Care
in Children, which has been published by Cancer Prevention Centre.