Health Minister holds talks with UNFPA Regional Director Florence Bauer
The Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Protection, Mikheil Sarjveladze, met with Florence Bauer, the Regional Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
According to the Ministry of Health, the two discussed joint programmes supported by UNFPA aimed at advancing their shared goals.
During the meeting, Minister Sarjveladze highlighted the vital role of UNFPA’s support in safeguarding human rights and fostering demographic sustainability in Georgia.
“In addition, Mikheil Sarjveladze expressed his gratitude to Florence Bauer for the partnership and fruitful cooperation, emphasising that such productive meetings will pave the way for even more effective collaboration in the future,” the Ministry stated.
The discussions covered key issues including demographic sustainability, gender equality, and youth empowerment. They also reviewed ongoing cooperation within the framework of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2026-2030) and outlined plans for the next phase of activities. Both parties explored avenues for more active collaboration and outlined future joint initiatives.
The meeting, held at the Ministry of Health, was attended by representatives from the local UNFPA office.
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Tbilisi City Hall to launch free lung cancer screening programme from May 1
29.04.2026.16:53
“Tbilisi City Hall is to begin funding a lung cancer screening programme from May 1,” Mayor Kakha Kaladze announced today at a session of the Tbilisi Municipal Government.
According to the Mayor of Tbilisi, free screening will be available to active smokers aged 45 to 75 who are registered in the capital, as well as to those who have quit smoking within the past fifteen years.
“We have helped countless families and individuals through the projects of our City Health and Social Services Agency. Tbilisi City Hall is now taking the next step by funding a lung cancer screening programme. From May 1, the procedure will be entirely free of charge for eligible residents and will be financed by the City Health and Social Services Agency under its Disease Screening Programme. Active smokers aged between 45 and 75 who are registered in the capital, as well as those who quit within the last fifteen years, will be entitled to a free lung cancer screening,” said Kakha Kaladze.
He added that the parameters of the screening programme, including the eligible age range, were determined in close consultation with leading specialists in oncology, radiology and pulmonology. Participating clinics and expert practitioners were selected based on their experience and qualifications.
“The screening will involve a low-dose computed tomography scan, which will be read independently by two radiologists. In the event of differing assessments, a case conference will be convened with the involvement of a third radiologist. Tbilisi City Hall has selected leading clinics that meet the required standards in terms of specialist expertise and technical infrastructure to deliver the programme. At this stage, sixteen medical institutions located across different parts of the capital will be participating in the programme,” the Mayor stated.
Kaladze also noted that lung cancer ranks first in the world for cancer-related mortality, and that screening of high-risk individuals aids in early detection and can increase survival rates by as much as seventy per cent.
