Rinkevics expects improvements in mental health care for young people

RIGA - Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics today met with Health Minister Hosams Abu Meri (New Unity) and stressed the need for improvements in the area of mental health care for young people, Martins Dregeris, the president's aide, told LETA.

According to Rinkevics, mandatory treatment of children who have suffered from mental or behavioral disorders due to substance abuse does not work in real life. "The existing regulatory framework and insufficient funding create a situation where the state is not actually fulfilling its statutory obligation," the president said.

During the conversation, Rinkevics stressed the need to push for a regulation that would facilitate the development of biomedical research in Latvia.

The politicians also discussed the issues of digitization of the health sector, regulation for the development of biomedical research, as well as the provision of critical medicines in crisis situations.