It is unlikely that healthcare workers will manage to secure additional funding for healthcare and even more so for salary increases.
This evening, a discussion about the situation in healthcare is taking place live on Latvian TV in the program "Kas notiek Latvijā?" in light of the fact that the healthcare workers' union has expressed distrust in the Minister of Health, Hosam Abu Meri. During the discussion, it became clear that to raise salaries for medical staff by the required amount (13.5%), to increase quotas for medical services, and for other priorities, an additional 650 million euros was needed in next year's budget!
The Minister of Health managed to secure... 34 million! It is clear that this is completely insufficient.
"Patients will be even worse off," medical professionals and union representatives stated on the air today. It should be noted that hospital funding in 2026 will be - taking inflation into account - even less than in 2024.
