This is shocking! A patient at Stradins Hospital on parking fees

The story of visiting the Paul Stradins Clinical University Hospital, told by the director of the Turaida Museum Reserve, Jolanta Borite, has gained wide popularity on social media.

It ended in real bitterness when the patient saw that for 3 hours of parking she would have to part with 28 euros.

Jolanta shares the events on her Facebook account: "In order. This week I finally made an appointment with a doctor at Stradins Hospital. I arrived 30 minutes before the scheduled time, which seems quite enough to register at the reception and go to the doctor's office. The conveniently equipped parking lot is empty, the second one, behind the barrier I entered, is full.

I find a spot and head to the doctor. I glance at the price list: the first hour is free, then 7.00 euros. I think to myself: well, yes, the rate, but since there is not much choice where to park the car, and the time is as much as I have, there is nothing I can do.

At 9:00, the doctor's reception begins, and I am glad that everything is going according to schedule and I will pass quickly. The joy was short-lived. They started calling everyone who came for a mandatory medical examination, and there were six of them. The first hour has already passed, and a man sitting next to me, whose appointment is after mine, is nervous because his train leaves at 12:00, and he has to spend 2.5 hours on the way. But before that train, he still needs to get out of Stradins. I understand him and let this gentleman go ahead.

It is already 10:50 when I get to the doctor. I leave at 11:30 because the visit takes a long time. I go to pay for parking. And for these 3 hours, of which 1 hour is free, the machine shows that I need to pay 28 euros. It goes without saying that I was "furious". 28 euros for parking at the hospital where I came to see a doctor, not for entertainment. Examining the receipt, I see that in small print it says that 30 minutes cost 7 euros. Seriously!!!!???

Even in the center of Riga, parking my car in zone A, I cannot gather such an amount for a day. I cannot describe how humiliated I feel. I arrived at the doctor on time. He really takes an hour serving 6 people out of turn. It is not about whether I can pay this money or not, but Health Minister Hosam Abu Meri and the management of Stradins Hospital, does this seem humane to you given the standard of living that most of society has in our country right now?

Who did you create this parking for? It is pointless to be angry anymore. Next time I go, I will drive around the block until I find a place where I can leave my car for a reasonable price.

Several commentators expressed outrage and bewilderment over the absurdly high parking fees at the hospital, where people come not for entertainment but for medical assistance. Others even wonder if a fine for unauthorized parking would be cheaper. Others acknowledged that such an experience only increases the stress that is already high when going to the doctor.

Nevertheless, most support the opinion that, given the current living conditions of people, such prices seem inadequate and create a feeling that the system punishes people for being sick.