In the summer, the government already identified external and internal security as the only priority in next year's budget.
Ministries other than Defense and Internal Affairs said they expected additional funds for their priorities, as the sectors they oversee are also important from the point of view of national security protection.
The Ministry of Health did the same, resubmitting a request for an additional €153.3 million for priority measures.
At a meeting of the Latvian Health and Social Care Workers' Trade Union Council on Tuesday, September 17, Health Minister Hosams Abu Meri (New Unity) said that this money would be needed for three directions: "One - strengthening human resources. Two - for medicines and medicine reserves. The third block was related to reinforcing the infrastructure of hospitals, their basements, strengthening the Emergency Medical Service, digital issues, and cyber security so that our data is protected."
However, the health sector could be left without additional funding, as there will be no extra money for new objectives in next year's budget.
The Health Ministry's renewed request is also defended by the Latvian Health and Social Care Workers' Union, whose head Valdis Keris warned of far-reaching consequences.
"The European Commission's latest report on Latvia highlights that the funding of the sector is one of the lowest, it is extremely insufficient. This is the cause of high premature, avoidable mortality. This is also confirmed by OECD data that Latvia loses 5,500 people a year to inadequately funded healthcare. This is a huge number of lives that could be saved if the sector were adequately funded," Keris said.
Abu Meri, however, hopes that the interests of the sector will still be defended in the budget negotiations.
He also expects that if the sector's budget is not increased, additional funding will have to be requested for various purposes sooner or later next year.
"It is not only a question of salaries, but also of medicines. There are growing debts for medicines that are reimbursable to patients, and for services that need to be supported. It is clear that in Latvia, as elsewhere in Europe, the population is getting older and living longer.
"This means that more care is needed. As they say in Latvian, hope dies last. I would also like to say that I apologise, colleagues, for standing here last year and saying with full confidence that we would have additional funding," said the Minister.
The health sector trade union agrees with Minister Hosam Abu Meri in the context of the budget request.
The union's council agreed to publicly condemn decisions that do not provide additional funding for the health sector. The union is not currently discussing more acute forms of action.
An extraordinary meeting of the government on the preparation of next year's national budget is scheduled for this Thursday.
