The right to health of the Akhalgori population is again restricted by the de facto government. The residents of Akhalgori are prohibited not only from moving to the controlled territory of the Central Government of Georgia and receiving quality medical services there, but also from receiving the planned services at the Akhalgori local hospital.

At the initial stage of the spread of the pandemic, the de facto government explained the discriminatory approach to the Akhalgori population by the spread of Covid-19, but now the situation in Tskhinvali region has changed. Due to the fact that there is no officially confirmed case of coronavirus, the de facto government of Tskhinvali region has decided to ease the quarantine measures in place. According to the news agency “Res”, trade facilities, beauty centers and sewing salons have resumed work in so-called South Ossetia. Also, by the decision of the de facto head, three vitally important artificial lung ventilation devices were given to North Ossetia from Tskhinvali.

Comparing to the softened policy in Tskhinvali, the situation is extremely different in Akhalgori, where the discrimination facts have intensified. The administration of the local hospital refuses planned hospitalization of people with special needs and patients with severe diagnoses. In addition to this, severe patients are not allowed to move to Tbilisi.

According to the locals, lack of quality medical services is the most serious problem for them. In the conditions of relatively simplified movement, when one could go to Gori or Tbilisi, the problem was not so acute.

The Democracy Research Institute calls on the Georgian authorities to take all possible measures to ensure that critically ill patients living in Akhalgori receive planned medical care in the territory controlled by the central government.