HEALTH AS ECONOMIC CATEGORY (ABSTRACT)

Prof. Amiran Gamkrelidze, Ketevan Goginashvili

As socio-economic factor is a main one to have an effect on person’s health (48-50%), healthcare development level, principal health indicators (average life duration, death rate of mothers and children) and level of medical care accessibility are directly proportionate to a country’s economic development.

For reference, total healthcare expenditure in three groups of countries is considered (with 10 countries from the post-soviet area). With rare exception, in all of three groups the share of state in total expenditure for healthcare exceeds private one. The share of state budget’s healthcare expenditure in developed countries is great. Low-income countries as well as Georgia face serious problem of healthcare accessibility for population. The dynamics of healthcare financing in Georgia testifies to the fact that since 1994 public expenditure has grown approximately 20 times as much totaling 18,93 laris per capita in 2003, yet the figure is 10-15 times lower than in the end of 80s. International healthcare organizations recommend that at least 34 US dollars per year should be required for providing essential medical care. To make population feel government’s real care for improving medical service accessibility, in 2005 healthcare expenditure should make up at least 2,3% against GDP and 12% against budget, which will significantly improve public expenditure per capita and increase it up to 50 laris.