Starting from 2014-2015 academic year, the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia has started restoration of medical rooms in the public schools. Throughout the country, doctor’s new office has been opened in up to 300 public schools, which is equipped with the necessary equipment, medicines and other necessary resources. The process of opening doctor’s offices is irreversible and it will continue in the next year.
The Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health are working together on the project. Those individuals get employeed as school doctors that are selected by the Ministry of Health, who possess a certificate of independent medical practice with following specialization - family medicine / pediatrics. The Ministry of Health carries out training of school doctors and monitoring of their activities.
At this stage, under initiative of National Center for Disease Control and Public Health and the United Nations Population Fund, in the framework of the continuous training program by University of Lausanne, Training for school doctors trainers was held on the following subjects - health of young people and adults, promotion healthy lifestyles, disease prevention, hygiene and more.
The training was conducted by doctor of medicine, coordinator of Continuos Education Service of University of Lausanne (EuTEACH) Pierre-Andre Michaud and Georgian experts.
Launch of the project was caused by immediate need, because for many years, majority of schools have been depending solely on emergency medical services and have not been involved in the processes of facilitation of immunization. Up to now, there has been no database reflecting schools pupils' health condition and no operating adequate mechanism of referral implementing. Epidemiologically unfavorable conditions have been observed at schools and issues related to hygiene, a lack of awareness and knowledge, all of these problems will be solved within the framework of the new project, the students in case of need will get qualified first aid at school.