Health
The situation with drug overdose among young people is getting worse every year, said Liene Cipule, the head of the Emergency Medical Service (NMPD), in the Latvian Television program "Morning panorāma" on July 23.
The Children's Clinical University Hospital (BKUS) has started providing free feminine hygiene products. For the time being, special boxes with hygiene products will be placed in the bathrooms of several wards, but the plan is to eventually place them throughout the hospital, BKUS said in a statement on July 22.
Statistics agency Eurostat published encouraging data July 16 showing Latvia currently has the second-lowest excess mortality rate in the European Union.
Regional hospital managers are concerned about the financial situation, as a large part of the state-funded quotas for many medical services have already been spent. This means that some patients will not be able to receive medical services this year and at the beginning of next year with public money, LRT+ reported July 17.
Not only youth but also mature people in their 30s and 40s are using drugs more often, Roberts Stašinskis, the head of the Intensive Care Clinic at Riga East Clinical University Hospital (RAKUS), told Latvian Radio program "Good morning" on July 17.
On Tuesday, July 16, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the amendments to the regulations prepared by the Ministry of Health (VM), which give the green light for the implementation of the new medicines mark-up model in Latvia.
On Tuesday, July 16 , the Government decided to allocate € 100,000 from contingency funds for the operation of medical facilities in Ukraine in war conditions.
The Latvian Pensioners' Federation calls for a halt to the new medicine price reform until it has been properly analyzed and discussed among the parties involved - pharmaceutical industry employees, medicine users and pharmacy customers, Latvian Rdio reported on July 15.
The Emergency Medical Service's (NMPD) paid services will get more expensive, according to changes to the institution's price list prepared by the Ministry of Health (VM), LETA reports.
Data published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) in March 2024 reveal the rapid spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in European Union countries. The Latvian Disease Prevention and Control Center (SPKC) notes that the number of syphilis and gonorrhea cases has also increased in Latvia this year.
A shipment of Latvian donations to Ukrainian hospitals was on its way on Tuesday, July 9, the Ministry of Health said.
In a resolution on Monday, July 8, Prime Minister Evika Siliņa (New Unity) tasked a joint meeting of the Coordination Council for Drug Addiction Control and the Cooperation Council for Children's Affairs to be convened within two weeks to propose actions to prevent the risks of drug addiction among young people.
Eight public organizations in the pharmaceutical sector have written to Prime Minister Evika Siliņa (New Unity) asking her to halt the progress of planned changes to medicine pricing policy, the NGOs said in a statement ot the media on July 8.
On Thursday, July 4, the buildings of the 3rd and 4th wings of the Riga Psychiatry and Narcology Centre (RPNC) were opened. They have been restored to their original appearance as the buildings will celebrate their 200th anniversary this autumn, Latvian Television reported.
The Midsummer week, during which more than ten teenagers were hospitalized due to severe drug overdoses, was the tipping point for an inter-agency meeting at the Ministry of Health on Tuesday, July 3. The trend is now that the use of addictive substances has doubled in a few years.
During Midsummer week, ambulance crews rushed to the vicinity of Riga's Origo shopping center to sixteen young people over a few days, many of whom were unconscious. Some fled after being given an antidote, others were taken to hospital in serious condition. Doctors assume that the substances the young people may have taken are synthetic opioids of the nitazene group.
During Midsummer week, ambulance crews rushed to the vicinity of Riga's Origo shopping center to sixteen young people over a few days, many of whom were unconscious. Some fled after being given an antidote, others were taken to hospital in serious condition. Doctors assume that the substances the young people may have taken are synthetic opioids of the nitazene group.
Doctors are raising alarms about the tendency of young people to decorate their teeth in beauty salons. Only dentists are allowed to apply tooth jewels, but this recommendation is not always followed, Latvian Radio reported June 30.
The sharp decline in smoking rates that statistics showed a decade ago has begun to fade. Smoking rates are once again on the rise, both in the conventional and electronic cigarette categories. Children's doctors are raising the alarm that children are starting to smoke at an earlier age, Latvian Television reported on June 30.
Thursday also brought tragic events on the water – rescuers from the State Fire and Rescue Service (VUGD) pulled two fatalities from bodies of water, the VUGD said in a statement.
Four drowned people pulled from Latvia's rivers and lakes on Wednesday mark the gloomy side of the hot weather. The workload for medical staff is also increasing, with patients being admitted to hospitals with kidney and other organ damage after overheating, Latvian Television reports.
Hospital representatives are concerned about the call for candidates for vacant medical specialist posts by the National Armed Forces (NBS). With salaries promised to start at almost EUR 1,800 after tax, it is likely that medical staff will express interest in these vacancies. The NBS stresses that medical workers are allowed to combine their posts and continue working in civilian medical institutions, Latvian Radio reported on June 27.
The third outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in a week has been detected in a 24-pig holding in Vecate parish, the Food and Veterinary Service (PVD) said on June 25.
Compared to bicycles, scooters cause fewer injuries but more serious ones, the Children's Clinical University Hospital (BKUS) and the State Police (VP) told Latvian Television, while reminding the public of some basic safety requirements.
This year there were relatively few "traditional" Midsummer injuries and the celebrations passed without major accidents or serious consequences, said Laura Bērziņa, public relations specialist of the Emergency Medical Service (NMPD) on June 24.
On Midsummer, the emergency services always have more to do than usually. Mostly, accidents happen due to carelessness, recklessness, and the influence of alcohol, so rescuers ask people to avoid too much of all three, Latvian Television reported on June 20.
An outbreak of African swine fever has been detected in a domestic pig farm "Lelles" in Matīši parish, Valmiera municipality. The disease was found in a small commercial holding with 527 pigs. This is the first case of the disease detected in domestic pig holdings in Latvia this year, the Food and Veterinary Service (PVD) said in a press release.
With the start of the summer holidays, the Emergency Medical Service (NMPD) has received more calls to help young people and children, NMPD said on June 14.
On Tuesday, June 11, the Latvian government reviewed a report "On provision of state-paid laboratory tests", which foresees the additional allocation of 10.97 million euros for laboratory examinations this year, as well as other systemic improvements.
This autumn, the prices of prescription medicines should decrease by 15-20%, according to the new pricing model for prescription medicines developed by the Ministry of Health and presented on Tuesday, 11 June.
The tenth International Day of Yoga will be celebrated in Latvia on June 21 with a practice session on the lawn of the Academic Center of the University of Latvia (LU) near the Nature House, followed by a conference "Creative Imagination as a Way to Liberation", the LU said.
As of June, the State has reduced the tariffs, or the costs the State pays for blood tests and other laboratory tests, so customers will have to pay more, Latvian Television reported on June 6.
Most important
Most read
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.