There is no single approach or specific tool that could rapidly and significantly increase vaccination coverage in Latvia, as the reasons why people choose not to vaccinate vary widely. This was highlighted by experts during the informational event “Immunization in Latvia: what stands between vaccine availability and vaccination?”.
The director of the Slimību profilakses un kontroles centrs, Elīna Dimiņa, emphasized that each target group requires a different approach to increase vaccination coverage and communicate the importance of immunization. For example, younger people are more easily reached through media, while older individuals often rely on different sources of information.
A similar view was expressed by Anda Ķīvīte-Urtāne from Rīgas Stradiņa universitāte, director of the Institute of Public Health and associate professor. She stressed that each age group responds to completely different messages. In her opinion, Latvia lacks strategic health communication through the media. Media coverage tends to react to current events rather than using communication strategically as a tool to address specific health issues.
She also acknowledged that combating widespread disinformation could take a very long time.
Meanwhile, Dimiņa noted that although public discussion often focuses on childhood vaccination schedules,
the state is increasingly promoting the concept of lifelong vaccination.
According to her, during the COVID-19 pandemic Latvia managed to maintain relatively stable vaccination coverage levels, something not all countries achieved.
The SPKC director admitted that the recent measles outbreak in Latvia poses a public health risk, but at the same time provides an opportunity to explain the importance of vaccination more broadly.
In her presentation, Dimiņa pointed out that between 1963 and 1967—five years before vaccination began—there were 76,542 measles cases registered in Latvia, whereas between 2021 and 2025 only two cases were recorded.
The most recent minor outbreaks occurred in 2014, with 36 cases, and in 2018, with 25 cases. In the current outbreak, 49 cases have been registered. This has led to an increase of several hundred doses of the combined MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella) compared to 2025, but, according to Dimiņa, this remains “a drop in the ocean” in terms of overall vaccination coverage.
During the discussion,
the importance of digitalization in improving vaccination coverage was highlighted multiple times.
Alise Singha, vice chair of the board of the Latvijas Jauno ārstu asociācija and a family doctor, pointed out that in Estonia, family doctors receive daily computer-generated lists highlighting patients who need vaccination or revaccination.
At the same time, Juris Gaiķis from the Latvian Digital Health Center noted that in Latvia not all family doctors have entered their patients’ vaccination data into electronic systems, and such data is not always accessible. As a result, automated notifications to doctors or patients may not always be accurate. Additionally, many residents do not have up-to-date contact information in the e-health system, making it difficult to send automated vaccination reminders.
Discussing the reasons behind Latvia’s relatively low vaccination coverage, Jana Feldmane from the Ministry of Health stated that public attitudes, trust, and health literacy are influenced by broader cultural patterns and habits.
According to her, there has historically been a lack of trust in the state in Latvia, and this extends beyond the healthcare sector. “It is very difficult to address this,” Feldmane said.
Singha also highlighted the role of the media, arguing that
coverage of the healthcare sector is often predominantly negative, with positive stories appearing only rarely.
At the same time, she stressed that improving vaccination rates requires not only targeted public education but also continued education for family doctors. She acknowledged that some medical professionals hold outdated knowledge and may even oppose vaccination.
According to the Latvian Junior Doctors Association, Latvia has one of the most comprehensive state-funded vaccination schedules in Europe, yet vaccination coverage remains insufficient. The association emphasizes that vaccination is one of the most effective public health tools, protecting not only individuals but society as a whole by creating herd immunity.
The association also notes that vaccination has eradicated diseases such as smallpox globally, while polio has been nearly eliminated in most parts of the world.
However, vaccine hesitancy is increasing and becoming a significant challenge for public immunization. Studies show that globally about one in five parents hesitates to vaccinate their children, and the situation in Latvia is even more concerning, with public trust in vaccines among the lowest in the European Union.
Read also: SPKC warns of insufficient measles vaccination coverage in Latvia