საქართველოს მთავრობა|Government of Georgia

The Prime Minister has inaugurated the Central Public Health Reference Laboratory.

On March 18, 2011, the Prime Minister of Georgia, Nika Gilauri, inaugurated the Central Public Health Reference Laboratory.

As a result of cooperation of the Georgian and US governments, the Central Public Health Reference Laboratory was opened in Tbilisi. The aim of the state-of-the-art laboratory is to ensure a centralized system of oversight over infectious human and animal diseases in Georgia. The Georgia-US joint project was launched in 2006. At the opening ceremony of the laboratory, the Prime Minister remembered the time when the project was launched. "I remember how this project started six years ago. Mr. Weber and Senator Lugar were here. A lot of people were skeptical that this project would be completed. Six years has passed, and an investment of $100 million has been spent. There were a lot of debates not only here, but also at the government meetings. Finally

, we got a wonderful laboratory which is a regional center. This is not only an investment, but also a real demonstration of strategic partnership. The United States has chosen Georgia to build such a strategic laboratory in this region. I would like to remind you that there are not many laboratories of this type in the world, there are four or five. This is the fifth or sixth laboratory, which was built with US funding. I would like to thank all those who worked on this project during these years. I would like to thank the American people, the US government, many thanks to John Bass personally and to Senator Lugar. It is a result of many people's work that we have made such a present for Georgian scientists today. This is a wonderful place where up to 100 scientists can conduct research. We may have wonderful scientists, geniuses, but if new technologies that exist in the world today are not introduced, it's impossible for science to develop and move forward. Georgia's scientists are now given the opportunity to become the best in the region, to become the best in the world, to win any funding and grant from any international organization. Georgian and American scientists have the opportunity to cooperate and to move forward together in this very difficult science, difficult field. Once again, many thanks to all."

Prime Minister's Press Service