On February 26, 2025 REG held in Tbilisi a Coordination Working Meeting on Providing Assistance to Migrants with HIV residing Georgia.
The meeting gathered representatives of the Georgian government health authorities and public and international organizations, including specialists from the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, the Center for Infectious Diseases and AIDS, the International Federation of the Red Cross, the Georgian Red Cross Society, the Embassy of the Netherlands, non-profit organizations Equality Movement, Temida, Spring of Help, etc.
According to the AIDS Center, in 2024, more than 220 foreign citizens with HIV received medical services and ART in Georgia. Among them, 74 citizens of Ukraine, 54 citizens of the Russian Federation, and 54 people from other countries. Experts record an increase in HIV cases in 2022-2024 among citizens of Georgia, and one of the probable reasons is the influence of migration flows and the arrival of foreign citizens in the country, some of whom do not know about their HIV-positive status.
Representatives of the Center for Disease Control informed participants that by June 1, 2025, the Ministry of Health plans to issue an order to set out the criteria for issuing ARVs to foreign citizens with HIV and migrants from HIV-vulnerable groups residing in Georgia, as well as to Georgian citizens migrating outside the country and in need of therapy. The issue of providing ARV therapy to migrants for a period of 3 to 6 months was also discussed; this issue is currently under control of the Ministry of Health and a new government decree on treatment is being developed, which proposes to regulate the amount of therapy issued at the discretion of a doctor.
National Project Coordinator of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria informed the participants that questions of laboratory diagnostics and provision of treatment for migrants with HIV are included in the National Application to the GF for 2026-2028.
Following the event, a decision was made to hold a consultation meeting of civil society with participation of representatives of the Ministry of Health, the Center for Disease Control and the AIDS Center to develop proposals on improvement of access to ARV therapy for HIV-positive migrants and migrants from HIV-vulnerable groups in Georgia.
