Due to lack of funding, Latvia will not buy helicopters for medical assistance for the time being. Instead, medics will continue to use Army Air Force aircraft, as reported by LETA.
The Ministry of Defence had previously prepared a limited-access information report on the need to purchase medical helicopters, and the draft decision provided for the Ministry of Health to find funding for the purchase of two medical helicopters.
Information in the Unified Legislation Portal shows that the report has now been withdrawn because the project prepared in 2022 on the purchase of medical helicopters has “lost its relevance”.
In negotiations with the parties, the defence sector has confirmed its readiness to provide personnel for the use of helicopters, while no funding was found in the health sector budget, including the resources of EU funds, for the purchase of such equipment.
Medical personnel use Air Force helicopters to transport patients and donor organs. A couple of years ago, US Black Hawk combat helicopters were purchased for the Air Force. Before that, medics used army aircraft that were several decades old.