Latvian health sector might be short of some 2,400 employees in five years

RIGA - The Latvian health care system might be short of around 2,400 employees, Economics Ministry Parliamentary Secretary Jurgis Miezainis told a conference on health care workforce challenges in Europe.

The estimate is based on the Welfare Ministry's data on the demand and supply of workforce in health care and individual care jobs.

Miezainis noted that health care is becoming increasingly important as the population ages. Already, a third of the population has health conditions that limit their daily activities at home, work or leisure.

At the same time, ensuring the necessary number of specialists in the healthcare system is critical for the sustainable development of the economy.

The challenge is particularly evident in the training of new employees, which is a lengthy process.

According to Miezainis, the Economics Ministry is currently working to develop a "silver economy" and a set of motivating measures intended to keep employees in the labor market longer.

Citing the Welfare Ministry's data, the Economics Ministry's representative said that last year employees aged 55 to 64 years made up a substantial share of the people employed in health and individual care jobs. The number of people employed in these jobs slightly exceeded 14,000 in 2024.