Edmunds Teirumnieks, chair of the Saeima subcommittee on Latgale affairs, reminded that a reform of the hospital network is taking place in this historical Latvian land (as Latgale is now officially referred to).
A letter is being prepared for Health Minister Hozam Abu Meri ("New Unity") requesting clarification on what exactly the medical authorities plan to retain from healthcare institutions.
– Latgale, or Austrumlatvia, needs to be viewed through the lens of safety, – stated the deputy.
Transport Minister Aitis Švinka ("Progressives") stated that the situation in Latgale is an "absolute priority" for him.
The transport ministry is doing everything possible to ensure that residents from remote areas of the region can reach regional centers with existing hospitals. Mobility issues – including evacuation – are also being considered in the complex.
– I certainly cannot go through every section of the roads that we plan to repair by 2028, – the minister unfolded a map on the table, – but I can assure you that we have the Latgale region...
The minister identified the A6 Riga-Daugavpils road as the most crucial route, as well as the highway from Krāslava to the border with Belarus.
The head of the Preiļi municipality, Aldis Adamovičs (a former member of the Saeima from "New Unity" who lost his mandate due to a corruption scandal), reported that his municipality is allocating additional funds for patient examinations and to reduce waiting times.
The Preiļi hospital, which has been operating since 1959, is fortunate to have both a pulmonologist and a nephrologist, an operating block, and oncological assistance. However, if one travels west for just over a hundred kilometers, they will reach the charming town of Aknīste, where a worthy hospital with columns was built in 1953. At that time, it was the center of the district. Unfortunately, it now houses a social center, in other words, a nursing home for the elderly.
But even in Preiļi, everything is measured in... money from the local authorities. "The maternity ward is losing 34,000 euros a month," calculated Mr. Adamovičs.
Daugavpils Allocates Millions
Meanwhile, in November, the Daugavpils Regional Hospital celebrated the installation of beams in the new radiotherapy block. Earlier, this medical institution hosted a nationwide seminar on cancer prevention.
The hospital's board chair, Inta Vaivode, emphasized the importance of prevention: "Effective treatment begins with prevention. Unfortunately, the screening rate in Latgale remains low, and family doctors need to be more proactive in reaching out to patients. Our hospital is already providing support by offering mobile mammography outreach and initial consultations, but joint efforts are necessary."
The city authorities promised to finance the hospital with 45 million euros in the future. This will not only eliminate the need for Daugavpils residents to travel to the capital for treatment, but Daugavpils itself could become a center for domestic medical tourism.
For now, however, a new SIA has appeared on the local market this autumn, which previously provided its services in Ogre and Pierīga. Very relevant, albeit specific – detoxification and sobering-up services. For Daugavpils, this is unfortunately very important – and it will cost the city budget 180,000 euros.
In terms of social care, the hospital offers a paid service for the elderly. The center has rooms with functional beds and hygiene facilities, including for bedridden patients. The cost is 45 euros per day, including meals. This is about 1.5 times less than the lowest level of diagnosis complexity in a private nursing home in Riga.
Leave a comment