2019-03-26
Monitoring of blood lead levels in children and water quality were the main topics discussed at today's meeting of the Intersectoral Coordination Council held under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister at the Administration of the Government.
As the Head of Government pointed out during the meeting, there are regions in Georgia that still face serious environmental challenges. According to Mamuka Bakhtadze, the constituent agencies of the Coordination Council were instructed to study water quality throughout Georgia.
The study reveals that, as a result of the investments by the Government, improvement has been made in certain cities, the Prime Minister said. Nonetheless, the quality of water remains a major challenge.
"Today, the Coordination Council is holding a special format meeting to discuss steps taken toward protecting environment and developing green economy announced by us, also activities to be held in the future. As you know, it is a very complex issue. Unfortunately, there still are regions in Georgia with lasting environmental challenges. The agencies of the Coordination Council were already assigned to study the quality of level throughout Georgia. Apparently, our investments have brought about improvements in particular cities, though the inadequacy of water quality remains a serious challenge, which requires more active steps on our part," Mamuka Bakhtadze stated.
As for the monitoring of children's blood lead levels, the Prime Minister emphasized that it is a serious challenge facing the modern world, which is why defining, planning, and implementing preventive measures is of vital importance.
"I am aware of the numerous measures taken and international projects implemented in this direction. Naturally, we must focus on the recommendations of the World Health Organization, and make use of the best practices accumulated in the countries of the West," Mamuka Bakhtadze underlined.
The Coordination Council is working on environmental issues under the 2018-2022 National Environment and Healthcare Action Plan under the leadership of the Prime Minister. The meeting of the Intersectoral Coordination Council was attended by Georgia's Vice Prime Minister and Minister of regional Development and Infrastructure Maya Tskitishvili, Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs Davit Sergeenko, Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Levan Davitashvili, and Director General of the National Center for Disease Control Amiran Gamkrelidze.
Prime Minister's Press Office