2020-07-24
The medical rehabilitation center for 200 children and 250 adults in Georgia, together with the infrastructure of this university clinic is, of course, a joint achievement and all this is truly impressive, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia stated during the opening ceremony of the Ken Walker University Clinic for Medical Rehabilitation.
The head of the government thanked the government of Georgia's strategic partner, the United States of America, for its support.
"Of course, this would not have been possible without such excellent, systemic cooperation, where there was competence from the United States and Emory University, where there was support for Georgian business, Tbilisi Medical University. All this, taken together, gave us this result. The result is that this rehabilitation center will be fully focused on functional independence for persons with disabilities. There is no greater goal than to make persons with disabilities dignified partners of our daily, normal lives. This is the goal of both the state and each and every one of our citizens and, of course, we must do everything to make this medical rehabilitation center successful. In addition to serving our citizens, our little ones, our children, our adult fellow citizens, of course, it will also have serious regional and international significance," Giorgi Gakharia stated.
The prime minister stressed USAID's contribution to the completion of this project.
"The United States has been helping us a great deal in recent decades through USAID. The overall total amount of this assistance exceeds 1.5 billion, though this is not defined according to the amount of funding. The most important thing here is the contribution that USAID and the US Government are making toward the consolidation of Georgian democracy. This is the greatest achievement. The strength of institutions, the strength of our education and medical systems - this is what paves the way for Georgian democracy and makes it more and more successful every year. Once again, I would like to thank each and every person who took part in the implementation of this project. It has already been said here that Ken Walker was the author of the spirit and the idea behind this project and, of course, we must thank him as well from here. I would like to wish success to all the people who continue to work in this wonderful medical rehabilitation center and will enable our citizens to be functionally independent, full-fledged members of our society every year," the head of the government noted.
The aim of the Ken Walker University Clinic for Medical Rehabilitation is to create the first highly qualified rehabilitation service in the region that is based on international experience, while also serving as a clinical training base for Tbilisi State Medical University.
The Ken Walker Clinic is the first clinic in the South Caucasus region that is equipped with American and European high-tech rehabilitation equipment, offering a full range of multidisciplinary rehabilitation services to those in need.
The event was attended by Parliament Chairman Archil Talakvadze, Ekaterine Tikaradze, minister of internally displaced persons from the occupied territories, labor, health and social affairs, Mikheil Chkhenkeli, minister of education, science, culture, and sport, US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan, USAID Georgia Mission Director Peter Wiebler, and representatives of the medical field.
Press Service of the Government Administration