The present report is based on the results of the monitoring of infrastructure and access to primary health care services within the framework of the Rural Doctor State Programme.

The monitoring was carried out in 57 rural outpatient clinics in 18 municipalities of Imereti, Guria, Kakheti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti regions.

The Public Defender’s Office conducted this type of monitoring for the first time in 2019, as a result of which a number of serious problems were identified relating to accessibility and quality of services. In 2022, repeated monitoring revealed a number of challenges, including:

• The majority of outpatient clinics do not meet the minimum standards of toilet, hygiene and disinfection requirements
• In some regions, it is necessary to arrange/rehabilitate electricity/24-hour water supply system
• Some of the outpatient clinics are not provided with proper heating system appropriate for the location (with electricity or natural gas system)
• Some of the outpatient clinics and medical centers do not meet the standards of adapting space for persons with disabilities.

The report discusses in detail the key findings of the monitoring and offers relevant recommendations.