Starting from August 15, the opioid dependency substitution treatment program will be fully managed by the state – private substitution therapy centers will be closed, and the state will provide the service to all beneficiaries.
As noted by the Minister of Health, Mikheil Sarjveladze, a significant portion – indeed, the majority – of beneficiaries from private substitution therapy providers have applied for state services, and practically all of them will be able to receive services at the state centers of their choice starting tomorrow.
“Starting tomorrow, the state will take responsibility for implementing the so-called substitution therapy. Private substitution therapy centers that have been operating until now will cease to function. A significant majority of beneficiaries from private substitution therapy providers have applied for state services, and practically all of them will be able to receive services at the state centers of their choice starting tomorrow, free of charge. The number of such individuals is 1,512. In approximately 100 cases, individuals could not express their intent to continue the service for various reasons. There are people who are not regular drug users but rather use drugs incidentally; in such cases, there is no basis for benefiting from substitution therapy. They will be able to independently apply to state centers, undergo the relevant checks, and a decision will be made on an individual basis. Unfortunately, there are cases where the same individual is registered as a beneficiary with at least two private providers.
I would like to ask beneficiaries to pay attention to the timing of their visits to the centers, follow the relevant instructions, and carry identification documents.
For those who faced objective obstacles in applying to the state, we have decided that for the next week, until August 22, upon application, they will be enrolled in the state program through simplified procedures. To this end, amendments will be made to the normative act,” the Minister stated.
Mikheil Sarjveladze: Starting tomorrow, the state will take responsibility for carrying out the so-called substitution therapy, and private centers will cease operations
