Abu Meri and German ambassador discuss cooperation in healthcare between Latvia and Germany

RIGA - Health Minister Hosams Abu Meri (New Unity) today met with German Ambassador to Latvia Christian Heldt to discuss cooperation between the two countries in healthcare, as the Health Ministry informed LETA.

Heldt said he had a high opinion of the cooperation between Latvia and Germany, including during the Covid-19 pandemic, and emphasized opportunities for expanding cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector, ensuring production of medicines critical for Europe and thus mitigating the risks of changes in medicine or raw material supplies, as well as opportunities closer cooperation in research and development of new medicines.

The ambassador also inquired about digitization in healthcare and acknowledged that the Baltic region, including Latvia, has been successfully developing in this area.

Abu Meri thanked Heldt for the support provided during the Covid-19 crisis, when Germany sent medical supplies and technology worth EUR 3.5 million to Latvia that was distributed among university hospitals. The minister also noted close cooperation between Latvia and Germany in the field of clinical research. Riga Stradins University is working on joint projects with German universities, and more than 600 students from Germany currently study at Riga Stradins University.

Aseradens also informed the ambassador about his priorities at the Health Ministry and reforms to the state-funded healthcare system he had initiated: revising the hospital network and hospital profiles, strengthening primary healthcare, and improving access to medicines for residents. A human resources strategy has also been developed in cooperation with experts, which will improve planning the numbers of medical staff needed in the future.

The two officials also discussed the situation in Ukraine. Abu Meri stressed the need to continue to support Ukraine in its fight against the aggressor, both by providing the necessary resources and by taking care of refugees from Ukraine who are currently residing in European Union countries.