Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has stated that the state will cover the expenses for anti-flu medicine Tamiflu and Georgian citizens in need of the medicine will receive it free of charge, Georgian Health Minister David Sergeenko stated today.

Axar.az reports citing Agenda.ge.

Sergeenko said that the state budget will also cover expenses for emergency services for all citizens “to prevent fatalities.”

The Prime Minister phoned me late yesterday and informed me. The initiatives will come into play from Monday, I believe. The decision is one more proof that the main value for the government is the people and their health,” Sergeenko said.

Up to now the medicine was free of charge only for pregnant women, children, the socially vulnerable and people with chronic illnesses.

Georgian pharmacies had earlier announced today that the price for Tamiflu will be decreased from up to 80-100 GEL to 68 GEL.

The latest figures read that 15 people have died because of the swine flu in Georgia, 45 are receiving critical care and up to 900 are being treated for flu.

Health officials say that the number of flu cases has decreased over the past several days and there is no risk of an epidemic.