Subject: RE: Information Request: Hep-C
From: Tamar Gabunia </O=EXCHORGANIZATION/OU=EXCHANGE ADMINISTRATIVE GROUP (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/CN=RECIPIENTS/CN=E6CA04F38EC94D0CADAB9CBDF90FCDDE-TAMAR G>
To: Maia Nikoleishvili </o=ExchOrganization/ou=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/cn=Recipients/cn=2d9c4ecc95234453ad52ccfeaee8a8ee-Maia Ni>
Cc: Ekaterine Adamia </o=ExchOrganization/ou=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/cn=Recipients/cn=89b4d31758d34f2cbdcfe688199f6941-Ekateri>
Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2020 15:13:00 +0000

მაიკო ნახე და დააკორექტირე ლინგლისტურად-იდეა ესაა დაგავუგზავმნოთ

From: Maia Nikoleishvili <[email-masked]>
Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2020 6:54 PM
To: Tamar Gabunia <[email-masked]>
Cc: Ekaterine Adamia <[email-masked]>
Subject: FW: Information Request: Hep-C

ქალბატონო თამუნა,

ეს შეკითხვები მოიწერა დამატებით ამერიკის საელჩომ

Is there any suggestion that patients were ever provided with expired medication?  The National Hep C program has a very robust mechanism in place for drug quality monitoring. Using expired medicine is absolutely unacceptable practice. None of the patients has ever been given drugs which has a month left before indicated expiration date. The full amount of expired drugs are still stored by the Ministry securely for auditing purposes.

Separately, does the Ministry believe this would in any way impact the future of the HCV elimination project? A deviation within 5% in making projections is an usual practice within the vertical public health programs. We do not see any objective, technical reason that may prevent us from achieving the program goals. However,  Improper political interference by opposition leaders the ministry observed over the last couple of days can certainly have some negative influence on the public opinion. MolHSA maintains very constructive and fruitful collaboration with all local and international partners for continuing all planned activities. We will enhance communication campaigns to balance miscommunication and negative messages spread by politically motivated groups. The ministry remains fully committed to mobilize all needed resources for successful completion of the program.

პატივისცემით,

მაიკო

From: Aparicio, Juan J (Tbilisi) <[email-masked]>
Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2020 5:57 PM
To: Maia Nikoleishvili <[email-masked]>
Cc: Tamar Gabunia <[email-masked]>
Subject: RE: Information Request: Hep-C

Thank you for this information, Maia.

Is there any suggestion that patients were ever provided with expired medication?  Separately, does the Ministry believe this would in any way impact the future of the HCV elimination project?

From: Maia Nikoleishvili <[email-masked]>
Sent: Monday, January 13, 2020 1:01 PM
To: Aparicio, Juan J (Tbilisi) <[email-masked]>
Cc: Tamar Gabunia <[email-masked]>
Subject: RE: Information Request: Hep-C

Dear Juan,

Many thanks for your e-mail and enquiry about the State Auditor’s Report conducted in 2018 on Social Service Agency’s financial performance. In response to your inquiry I am happy to provide a brief background information and explanation of the report findings as prepared by the Policy Unit of MoIDPsLHSA.

I also attached a sample routine report to Gilead which includes a section on drugs. The supply chain management issues are being regularly reported and discussed by a wide range of local and international partners. These finding were known to all already in 2018 and addressed via technical advisor group consultations and careful planning.

Should you have additional questions please let us know. The leadership of the Ministry would be happy to discuss this directly at any time convenient for you.

Best regards,

Maia Nikoleishvili MPA

Acting Head of International Relations and Protocol Division of Administration

Ministry of IDPs from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia

Address: 144 Tsereteli ave., 0159 Tbilisi, Georgia

Tel.: +995 32 2510034 (0803)

Cell phone: +995 577272713

E-mail: [email-masked]

From: Aparicio, Juan J (Tbilisi) <[email-masked]>
Sent: Monday, January 13, 2020 10:51 AM
To: Maia Nikoleishvili <[email-masked]>
Subject: Information Request: Hep-C

Hello Maia,

Happy New Year, I hope you are doing well!

We saw the following news report this past weekend and I was wondering whether you would be able to provide some more context:

SAO Says Medicines Valued at More than Half a Billion Lari within the C-Hepatitis Program have Expired

We are wondering whether the Ministry or the NCDC have identified a reason for the medicine’s expiration?  Any information would be very helpful.  Thank you!

Best,

Juan José Aparicio | Political Officer

United States Embassy Tbilisi, Georgia

(O): +995 32 227 76 29 | (M) +995 598 080 254

Email: [email-masked]