On August 8, 2000, staff at the psychiatric hospital on Asatiani Street went on strike, demanding three months of unpaid wages. Many of the striking employees said they had no money to return home for several days and were forced to stay at the hospital.

They reported that patients lacked food and essential sedatives, which left them highly agitated; some even physically assaulted nurses and doctors.

At the time, the hospital housed 271 patients. According to management, caring for one patient cost 6 GEL per day, but the hospital was receiving less than half that amount from the state. Previously, they had relied on humanitarian aid, but even that had ceased.