Health and defence are not separate domains – hospitals, medicines, and doctors are essential in times of armed conflict, Latvian Health Minister Hosam Abu Meri (New Unity) said on Wednesday at the pharmaceutical industry conference “Latvia – Europe’s Centre for Pharmaceutical Innovation.”
He stressed that without the resilience of the healthcare system, progress will not be possible.
Speaking about the pharmaceutical sector strategy developed by the Latvian Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (LZRA), Abu Meri noted that when state capacity is insufficient, businesses are stepping in with a strategic plan that offers stability for the next decade. This strategy provides a clear direction for growth and development.
The minister emphasized that today, regardless of what is being produced, support is needed from countries such as India, China, and others. Therefore, Latvia must define the direction in which it wants to move. At the same time, he acknowledged that Latvia already has many manufacturers whose innovations are at a high level.
Abu Meri stated that at the European Union (EU) level, it must be clearly understood what each country’s producers can contribute. He also stressed the need for the EU to develop additional funding solutions to support pharmaceutical production within Europe.
According to the minister, resilience in the health system must now be addressed on two levels – nationally and across the EU.
The minister highlighted that the key issue is cooperation. “Of course, we may disagree and defend our respective interests. But when we talk about national security and the EU, we are all on the same front. We must cooperate in order to be heard at the European level,” he said.
As previously reported by LETA, Latvia’s pharmaceutical industry 10-year strategy was developed by LZRA (Latvian Association of Sworn Auditors) in cooperation with Olpha, Grindeks, Pharmidea, the University of Latvia, Riga Technical University, Riga Stradiņš University, and the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis.
The strategy envisions Latvia becoming a centre of pharmaceutical innovation in Europe, reaching 1.5 billion euros in industry turnover and offering at least 100 new medications on the market.