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International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics Tuesday, 09.06.2026, 07:10

Health minister: Latvian senior residents take too few pills

Nina Kolyako, BC, Riga, 20.01.2011.Print version
Senior residents and people with chronic diseases in Latvia take too few pills when compared to, for instance, Estonians, which is why they often are hospitalized with complications, although hospital treatment is the most expensive, Health Minister Juris Barzdins (Union of Greens and Farmers) said at a meeting of the Latvian Local Governments Association's council yesterday.

Juris Barzdins.

According to the minister, health care in Latvia receives 3.5 percent of gross domestic product, and given this limited funding, Latvia still has "exceptionally good medicine", writes LETA.

 

The main goal of health care is to prolong life expectancy, stressed Barzdins. Attaining this goal though has little to do with increasing the funding for health care because "money disappears at large hospitals as if they were black holes – the money is used to buy expensive equipment that is used for treatment of only some of the illnesses," he said.

 

The minister urged local governments to cooperate with Health Ministry's task forces that are working on suggestions for improving the work of general practitioners. Barzdins is confident that general practitioners can timely prescribe their patients what medications are necessary, and thus avoid hospitalization.





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