The President of Georgia visited the Central Public Health Referral Laboratory with an American Senator. The lab was named after Richard Lugar today for his special contribution in work directed at decreasing chemical, biological, and nuclear dangers across the world. The Head of State and the American Senator later addressed the gathered audience while focusing on the importance of the lab. According to Mikheil Saakashvili, such projects will importantly contribute to the development of the healthcare sphere. The President stated that this is one of the largest American investments implemented in Georgia.

The President of Georgia and Senator Lugar laid a cornerstone at the construction of the National Disease Control Center of Georgia today. They later toured the high tech lab equipped with cutting edge technologies.

“Russians never made such investments in Georgia during the Soviet times. They feared that we would get access to things like this. We should understand the difference between friendship with America and Soviet or Russian colonial dependence and control. Americans do not fear investing on this level in their friendly or allied country; on the contrary, they desire to do it. I am saying this for those, who do not understand the difference. Richard Lugar is a person who has introduced bills in Senate which will provide Georgian armed forces with full equipment. Through great effort and motivation we have started cooperation programs in the defense sphere with the United States.  This is a historic affair for Georgia. I could not even dream of this several years ago. Senator Lugar is one of the main initiators of this. America, of course, has a lot of other priorities, but he has concentrated exactly on Georgia” – stated Mikheil Saakashvili.

In his turn, Richard Lugar thanked the President for his initiative and noted that the new lab will give the country a chance to take care of the society better.

“I am grateful to the President for his hospitality today. It is a special privilege to be with him and to congratulate the creativity, the dynamism of Georgia. The facts are that lives are going to be saved; thousands of lives by the work done in these laboratories. That will in fact ensure Georgia’s place in history, but more importantly will save thousands of lives. So we are so grateful to you Mr. President for your hospitality today, your participation in this magnificent ceremony, and your leadership.” – stated Richard Lugar.

The National Central Public Health Lab is a Georgian-American project, and it is an important symbol of cooperation in a very significant sphere, where Georgia is protecting itself as well as the region from possible threats.

The lab of contemporary standards aims at strengthening public healthcare as well as healthcare of animals through discovering infectious diseases though epidemiological observation and research.

Delegations from several countries have already visited the lab, including representatives of Singapore, who have expressed desire of cooperation with Richard Lugar Central Public Health Referral Laboratory.