Latvian Trade Union of Health and Social Care Workers (LVSADA) and Latvian Hospital Society (LSB) are satisfied with the decision from the government to allocate an additional EUR 140 million to healthcare this year, as noted by LVSADA.
In the middle of February both organisations sent a letter to Saeima deputies and the top state officials, warning them that the state budget project for 2023 will cause the accessibility and quality of healthcare to go down.
“The cause for concerns lies in the fact that although the Cabinet of Ministers Public Health Guidelines 2021-2027 does outline additional funding of EUR 306 million necessary to ensure continue functioning of the Ministry of Health, the state budget had initially allocated only EUR 86 million for the aforementioned purposes. Unfortunately, the Saeima approved the state budget project for 2023, which lacked EUR 200 million necessary to ensure the implementation of basic functions of healthcare,” as mentioned in the letter sent by healthcare workers.
Representatives of medical associations stress that at the beginning of May, Saeima’s Social and Employment Matters Committee looked at the letter from 34 non-government organisations about insufficient state funding for healthcare.
According to information provided to the Ministry of Health, this year the healthcare sector needs at least EUR 140 million to function. In 2024 the sector will need an additional EUR 310 million.
The committee decided to keep this information and review the issue again.
In the middle of May LVSADA decided to make it an absolute priority to request additional funding of at least EUR 140 million so that the healthcare sector is able to continue operating normally.
LVSADA defended on this demand and met with representatives of the government on the 18th of May.
LVSADA chairman Valdis Keris said the result is notable, adding that the additional EUR 140 million will protect the sector from collapse this year.
“The joint protest by doctors and patients outside the Saeima on the 11th of May also contributed to this outcome. The warnings from heads of hospitals about paid medical services being adopted in autumn also helped. The announcement from Latvian Pensioners Federation about potentially joining LVSADA’s own protest to help convince the government and the Saeima also played a part. We have to fight for our rights, because without fighting there is no victory!” said Keris.
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