One of the current issues faced by hospitals in Latvia is the availability of helium, said Artūrs Bērziņš, the newly appointed Chairman of the Latvian Hospital Association, in an interview with Latvian Radio.
Helium in medicine is mainly used in relation to respiration and diagnostic imaging.
Bērziņš explained that due to the conflict in the Middle East, helium prices have risen sharply, even doubling. This increase is also affecting other sectors, but those are generally more financially capable than healthcare, the LSB head noted.
He added that helium cannot be purchased in large quantities at a lower price and stored long-term, therefore medical institutions are and will be forced to pay higher prices for this gas.
Prices have also increased for other resources used in providing medical services, such as fuel and medicines.
At the same time,
funding for Latvian hospitals this year is 1% lower than the actual execution of the 2024 budget,
meaning that financial pressure is strongly felt across all areas, the hospital representative stated.
He added that there is a deficit in the state-funded healthcare sector, caused not only by insufficient quotas but also by a shortage of staff. Due to inadequately low state-set service tariffs, hospitals struggle to attract and retain medical professionals willing to provide state-funded services. As a result, paid services are becoming more in demand, which in turn is leading some hospitals to consider increasing the prices of paid services, Bērziņš explained.
The LSB representative acknowledged that, as a result, patients may find themselves in a very difficult situation — with not only a shortage of quotas, but also a lack of medical staff able to provide state-funded healthcare services.
Read also: Could e-signature disappear in Latvia? Prime Minister promises action