TBILISI, DFWatch–Mikheil Saakashvili, the imprisoned former president of Georgia, has issued a stark warning about the country’s healthcare system, predicting its collapse within a year due to alleged widespread corruption and chronic underfunding.
Writing on social media from detention, Saakashvili claimed that massive corruption in Georgia’s public health insurance system is driving medical professionals out of the sector. He warned that unless changes are made, Georgia could be left without nurses or orderlies in a few years, with most doctors also expected to leave.
He cited low salaries for medical staff, poor conditions for younger professionals in training, and high out-of-pocket costs for patients—especially in serious cases like cancer—as signs of a deteriorating system. Saakashvili contrasted the present with reforms initiated during his time in office, including plans for modern clinics and international training programs.
The ruling party has not commented on his statement.
Saakashvili served as Georgia’s president from 2004 to 2013, after coming to power in the peaceful “Rose Revolution”. His government was known for rapid reforms and modernization, but also faced criticism for increasing authoritarianism and lost power in the parliamentary election in 2012. He left the country after his term in early 2013 and didn’t return until 2021, when he was quickly jailed for several abuse-of-power convictions. A polarizing figure even within his own UNM party, supporters still consider him a victim of political persecution.
