State Audit Office: Systemic inequality and specialist shortages plague children's healthcare
A State Audit Office review found that although children's healthcare is legally designated a national priority, no real system exists to ensure it, with waiting times for specialists reaching up to 568 days. Experts say the gaps outside Riga are not solely a matter of funding.
An audit carried out by Latvia's State Audit Office has found that although children's healthcare is formally designated a state priority under Latvian law, no effective system exists in practice to guarantee this priority is upheld. The findings point to systemic inequality and a shortage of specialists, problems felt most acutely outside the capital.
Long waits and regional gaps
One of the main issues identified is the lack of available specialists in the regions, where the range of children's healthcare services is significantly more limited than in Riga. As a result, families often must travel long distances to the capital for necessary care, or turn to paid private services, since waiting times for state-funded specialists can stretch to as long as 568 days.
The audit also highlighted insufficient cooperation between different groups of medical professionals, which hampers timely and effective treatment of children's health issues.
Not simply a funding problem
Speaking on Latvian Radio's programme "Ģimenes studija" (Family Studio), industry specialists noted that the shortage of children's healthcare services in the regions is not always linked to political decisions or lack of funding. Resolving the situation, they said, requires specialists across different fields to agree on a shared approach to children's healthcare, rather than dividing available state funding separately among different specialist groups.
Strengthening primary healthcare was also named as part of the solution, particularly by expanding the role of pediatricians. A stronger primary care system could ease pressure on specialized services and help reduce waiting times.
