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The final decision is yet to be made by Saeima. The extra funding is meant to cover several urgent funding shortages in healthcare sector.

EUR 1.1 million of the amount will go to cover the cost of outpatient care, and EUR 4.2 million to hospitals so they could cover their infrastructure management deficits.

Also, EUR 47,200 is to be allotted to Emergency Medical Services and EUR 52,500 to the National Blood Bank of Latvia.

The Health Ministry originally requested for an additional EUR 8.9 million to be allotted for healthcare from the government's emergency funds, however, the Finance Ministry said the government did not have such money at hand, and that EUR 2 million could be allotted at best.

This, however, was unacceptable to Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma (Unity), who is currently also health minister. She said that at least EUR 5.5 million would have to be found for the sector.