Kalējs said that €90 million was needed for the full treatment of cancer patients this year, while the state only allocated €30 million.
“This means that two-thirds of patients who were scheduled to be treated for state funds this year risk not receiving this service,” said Kalējs.
Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš (New Unity) said that the need for additional funding is not a “sudden surprise”, but it has been topical for the last few years: “We have put several hundred million in the budget additionally in recent years and will continue to do so. The question is how quickly it will be able to work to make more rational use of the means that we have.”
At the same time, he questioned the fact that this year the situation would be very different from other years: “I am not sufficiently informed how the situation has been for the last 5-10 years. Whether this year is particularly different from other years, I'm not sure. Clearly, this is one area that needs additional funds that are being put in.”
As reported numerous times by LSM, hospitals this year are particularly worried about their ability to provide healthcare services due to a substantial lack of funding. Hospital representatives have ironically stated that people should get sick in the first half of the year as in the second half they might not get treated.
