Military medicine one of strategic priorities of healthcare sector - Abu Meri

RIGA - Military medicine is one of the strategic priorities of healthcare sector in order to improve the country's preparedness for crises, disasters, and military threats, Latvian Health Minister Hosams Abu Meri (New Unity) said after a meeting with Italian Health Minister Orazio Schillaci in Rome.

According to the Health Ministry, during his two-day working visit to Italy, Abu Meri also visited Celio Military Hospital and Rome's largest hospital, Gemelli Hospital. The Latvian delegation also included the heads of Latvia's largest hospitals - Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital and Riga East Clinical University Hospital.

The ministry explained that Celio Military Hospital is one of Italy's leading military medicine institutions, specializing in treatment of polytrauma, medical examinations and treatment of soldiers, and it also serves as a practical training center for the Italian Armed Forces' medics.

Abu Meri pointed out that he and the Italian health minister agreed on the need to strengthen military medical capacity, improve self-sufficiency in supply of critical medicines, and promote joint procurement at the European level. "Development of military medicine means the ability to protect health of the people in crisis situations in order to ensure national security," Abu Meri emphasized.

According to the Health Ministry, steps are also being taken in Latvia to strengthen military and disaster medicine. Riga Stradins University has launched a new course, Fundamentals of Military Medicine, developed in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense and the National Armed Forces.

During the Latvian delegation's visit to Gemelli Hospital, agreement was reached on closer cooperation in medical scientific research and student exchange programs.