The President of Georgia visited the “Archimedes” clinic in Lagodekhi, where 10 babies were born in the last 24 hours. Mikheil Saakashvili personally visited the Lagodekhian newborns and their parents while giving them presents. The Head of State took memorable pictures with them and spoke to the medical personnel. The President drew attention to the hospital sector development program and emphasized the fact that quality healthcare is one of the main components of raising the quality of life in Georgia. According to him, the increased birth rate is also the result of the ongoing processes in the country.

“It is very good news that 10 babies were born in one day. We have constantly had a positive birth balance since the Rose Revolution. This indicator was lowered a little because of the economic crisis in 2009, but it has started increasing again. Stubborn statistics! This is a very small hospital but lots of patients come here. They often say that small hospitals are opened in place of old large hospitals. The older ones were larger but they basically did not function anymore. People did not go there, these hospitals did not have equipment, and the doctors were not practicing, so their qualifications were gradually disappearing. They come up with foolish stories as if we were moving the same equipment from hospital to hospital and hiring actors instead of real patients to meet me there. I don’t know why these people are lying and why they are upset about opening new hospitals and the progress made in this sphere. It should be the opposite, because things are being done for everyone. What difference does it make that this is a Presidential program or the policy of the government? This is only being done because one of the indicators of the standard of living in Georgia is a high quality of healthcare. If we want things to advance in our country (and things are going this way) we have to have a high quality healthcare system affordable for everyone. This means that we need several more years for retraining doctors and giving them appropriate qualifications. It is necessary to develop in many other directions. We have to improve and make the healthcare system more complete. The fact that this clinic has so many patients is an indication that healthcare is becoming accessible to a larger part of the society. However, we should never forget the part of the society that cannot afford healthcare at this moment. We have to do everything in order to set a threshold on the prices of medical care. In any case, I think that the birth of so many babies is good news and the Lagodekhi clinic is not an exception in this sense. The birth rate has increased in many places and there were only a couple hospitals with good conditions for the birth of the next generation, now such clinics are being built in every corner of the country. I am sure that babies born in such clinics begin life in a better place and I hope they will grow up in much better conditions.  This is very important. The new generation will no longer be born in humiliating and shameful conditions. Their birth is already related to progress, lights, warmth, lighted hospitals, and caring medical personnel. I would like to express my gratitude for this to every one of you” - stated the President of Georgia.

The Lagodekhi clinic built by “Archimedes Global Georgia” was opened on December 3^rd and 80 babies have been born there so far.