On 3 June, President Edgars Rinkēvičs met with Minister of Health Hossam Abu Meri at the residence in Jūrmala to discuss the proposals developed by the Ministry of Health to promote the affordability and access to medicines, the improvement of the medicines reserve system, as well as the development of the hospital network.
With regard to the plan for affordability and access to medicines, the President highlighted the importance of open discussion to ensure that all stakeholders can participate in a timely manner. Ultimately, the beneficiaries must be the patients themselves.
The President and the Minister of Health concurred on the pressing necessity to enhance the medicines reserve system. "I expect that a reliable national medicines reserve system will be established in Latvia. I appreciate the efforts of the Ministry of Health in this regard, evaluating the experiences of other countries, and expect a tangible outcome in the near future," said E Rinkēvičs.
During the meeting, the President of Latvia informed the Minister of Health about the issues raised by the Latvian residents during his regional visits, including the accessibility of health services and medical personnel. "I welcome the proposal to optimise the hospital network with the objective of determining the specific locations and types of healthcare services that will be available in the regions of Latvia, as well as systematically improving the quality of all services provided. It is important to consider specific cases and find long-term solutions when planning changes," emphasised E. Rinkēvičs.
