Gratitude or Bribery? Envelopes for Doctors Remain a Persistent Habit
Experts on Latvian Radio say the practice of handing doctors cash-filled envelopes has not disappeared, with the line between genuine thanks and bribery often unclear.
Underfunding creates room for illicit dealings
Healthcare sector experts speaking on the Latvian Radio programme "Kā labāk dzīvot" have acknowledged that the habit of giving doctors envelopes with money has not disappeared in Latvia. They point to insufficient funding of the healthcare system and the resulting long waiting lists for appointments and procedures as contributing factors. According to the specialists, this situation creates favourable conditions for illicit arrangements aimed at bypassing the official system.
Thanks or an attempt to buy better care
The programme noted that not all gifts to doctors should be judged the same way. Some are linked to a long-standing cultural tradition of expressing gratitude for help received. However, there are also cases where money in an envelope is given in hopes of securing higher-quality or faster care — for instance, to skip a queue or receive preferential treatment. Experts stressed that such practices are fundamentally unacceptable, since the quality of care should not depend on extra payments made outside the official system.
A blurred boundary
The discussion acknowledged that the line between honest gratitude and criminal conduct is often difficult to draw, and it is precisely this ambiguity that allows the habit to persist in society, even though such actions could formally be classified as bribery. Industry representatives emphasized that the root of the problem lies in broader shortcomings of the healthcare system — inadequate funding and the resulting queues, which push patients to seek alternative ways of getting help faster.
