Archil Talakvadze: launch of the Hepatitis C program was a historical decision made by the then Prime Minister, Bidzina Ivanishvili

“Launch of the Hepatitis C program was a historical decision made by the then Prime Minister, Bidzina Ivanishvili. Today, Georgia is the global leader in this sphere. The program has saved lives and health of many people including in Abkhazia region”, - the Majority Leader, Archil Talakvadze stated at the opening of the STOP C campaign. Despite lack of the resources available in the state in that period, there was the faith of feasibility of the program which is universally available today. “Our argument for the Hepatitis C program was simple – if the state finances roads, armament and constructions, why the state cannot raise the funds for treatment of these people. Then, we had scarce resources but we had faith that we would be able to launch the program. Hepatitis C was the diagnosis for a slow death and desperation before 2014. Today, C can be healed and the heal rate constitutes 98% and over”.