Health Minister appeals officials to offer their company cars to doctors

Emergency medical service moves to a special mode.

Davit Sergeenko, Minister of Health, Labour and Social Affairs of Georgia, voiced his opinion at a meeting held at the Ministry late on January 20.

At the meeting with representatives of the Ministry, Sergeenko stated that their company cars should be used as ambulance vehicles.

"We will strengthen the capital’s emergency service. We will provide additional vehicles. The same applies to regional emergency services.

“Our company cars will also be used as ambulance vehicles in order to enable family doctors to visit patients at home,” said the Minister.

The Minister also made an appeal to other state officials to offer to their company cars to doctors and instead use the metro and other methods of public transport to get to work.

Such initiatives have already been voiced; suggestions that public officials should use public transport to ease traffic in the capital city are nothing new.

However, such appeals have been routinely ignored.

State officials still seem to prefer to use the benefits and privileges they have and drive the largest cars available.

In case officials heed the appeal of Sergeenko and concede their cars for use by physicians, the ratings of public officials will only increase amongst the public.

Herewith, if officials start taking public transport they would be more appreciated by ordinary citizens.

In general, officials have no genuine contact with the people who vote for them; their interaction with them is limited to watching them behind the dark windows of their confortable cars.

While most Georgians have to live in poverty, the comfort enjoyed by government officials results in public disdain rather than respect.

On the other hand, if officials set an examples by using public transport and popularise its use, they will also help the polluted environment.

Politicians should not just try to be ‘with’ the public when they need votes.