76 votes for, 1 against - the Parliament adopted the Draft Law on Healthcare for the III reading.

The Draft establishes new, gender-neural terms “independent obstetrician nurse” and determines the terms of the hereof activity (“obstetrician nurse” shall replace the term “maternity nurse” and the legal amendment shall serve as the basis for the replacement of the term in the subordinate documents).

The Draft aims at the creation of a legal basis for the formation of a sustainable system of development and professional regulation of the nurses and obstetrician nurses and compliance thereof with international modern standards.

The Draft was introduced by the Deputy Health Minister, Tamar Gabunia.

The Draft envisages the establishment of an e-register for the nurses and obstetrician nurses and their certification, the authorization to which shall serve as the prerequisite for the activity of all nurses and obstetrician nurses, and the nurses and obstetrician nurses with the bachelor’s degree shall mandatorily pass the registration tests for the status as of January 1, 2030.

Respective changes are to be introduced to the Law on Higher Education, the Law on Medical Activity, and the Code of Administrative Offenses.