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"We will not accept patients at the Accident and Emergency Department outside the set working hours anymore. We will be the villains, even though it is not our fault," Chairman of the Riga 1st Hospital's board Andrejs Pavars points out for LETA..

"From now on, the hospital will only provide treatment for self-pay patients in daytime, strictly observing the set quotas," the hospital's director announced, pointing out that the hospital can only provide services that it has the money to ensure.

As reported, approximately two-thirds or 570 workers will be laid off at Riga 1st Hospital this month already; the hospital will also cut back emergency medical services. The hospital's staff will be reduced to just 483. The people who are laid off will be paid compensation equal to one monthly salary, said Pavars.

After two weeks of talks with the Health Ministry and the Riga City Council, the hospital's management concluded that the amount of the hospital's services has to be reduced by at least two-thirds.

As of August 10, the hospital will only accept inpatients, and only as many as it can afford, said Pavars.

Pavars went on to say that the hospital will become an outpatient clinic.