Due do discord in the board of Latvian Medical Association (LAB), which gathered for a meeting Tuesday, 2 November, to discuss re-election of its officials, the organization’s vice-president Roberts Fūrmanis announced his decision to step down, according to the man’s entry on Twitter.
Fūrmanis noted in his post that he decided to step down from his post in the association, ‘the board of which has lost contact with its colleagues and practical medicine and which is not interested in change to let LAB and doctors recover public trust’.
Currently the man offers no further comments on the matter.
Last week Latvian Junior Doctors Association outlined «the almost tangible choice by LAB to ignore the crisis». As a result, the organization decided to terminate cooperation with LAP until the next congress, as confirmed by the association. LJAA representative Kārlis Rācenis then left from his post in LAB.
Disputes between board members started over different opinions in regards to Covid-19.
LAB president Ilze Aizsilniece had previously posted an invitation on Facebook «to lift mask-wearing requirement at schools so that children’s bodies do not suffer from lack of oxygen during studies». She also suggested changing Covid-19 testing approach for children and youngsters and using the example set by Nordic Countries. She also proposed «thinking about the biological safety of air at schools and other public locations».
Other LBA board members responded to this by composing LAB Covid-19 infection prevention work group, which categorically distances itself from LAB president’s statements.
LAB notes that from now on communication in the public space and mass media, as well as communication with state institutions and NGOs, on the topic of Covid-19 vaccination and preventive measures will be performed by members of the work group, except for cases when the work group of LAB board decide otherwise.
In his interview to TV3 News, Fūrmanis said the organization’s president who publicly spreads scientifically inaccurate information about protective masks and vaccines during Covid-19 pandemic should step down.
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Aizsilniece later said she has no plans to leave the management of the organization, stressing that she «was elected by Latvian doctors, not Minister of Health Daniels Pavļuts or LAB vice-president Roberts Fūrmanis», which means doctors are the ones who should decide on her remainder in LAB.
Discord in Latvian Medical Association results in vice-president stepping down
