Latvia

Health systems in transition
Latvia
Figure 5.10 shows numbers of dentists per population in the WHO European
Region. The number of dentists in Latvia has increased significantly since the
early 1990s, and in 2005 there were 63 dentists per 100 000 population, which
is higher than the EU average (61 dentists per 100 000 population) (WHO
Regional Office for Europe 2007a).
In 2005, there were 1485 pharmacists and 1613 pharmacists’ assistants in
Latvia. The number of pharmacists is roughly constant, and is considered to be
sufficient to meet the country’s needs at the time of writing (HSMTSA database
2007 [unpublished data]).
Planning health care personnel
The HSMTSA maintains a register of all doctors, nurses, midwives, doctors’
assistants and dentists. The legal basis for registration was established in
October 2005 by “Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers on Establishment,
Fulfilment and Maintenance of the Medical Persons Register”, which stipulate
that all health sector workers should report to the Register within one month
following initiation of their health care provision activities.
Demand for health care personnel, including doctors, is analysed by the
Medical Professional Education Centre (a public body under supervision of
the Ministry of Health). In accordance with the statutes of this Centre, which
have been approved by Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers “Concept
Paper on Human Resources in Health Care” (in force since February 2005),
it is responsible for planning and organizing further education, including
specialization of medical professionals, as well as fulfilment of professional
qualifications. The distribution of residents is also the responsibility of this Centre.
Professional associations deal with the training and planning of their
respective specializations. There is no agency at state level that is involved in
planning and organization of training for chief doctors, directors of hospitals,
heads of health care institutions or high-level specialists. This function is
undertaken partly by the Association of Management Experts of Health Care,
a public organization that does not engage in planning, but rather is involved
in organizing particular courses that can be pursued by its members for the
purpose of improving their managerial capabilities. Courses are offered by
the Stradins University Postgraduate Training Faculty, as well as the Faculty
of Management at the Riga International College of Economics and Business
Administration. These courses are financed privately.
Local governments are more directly involved in planning of the number of
chiefs or directors of health care institutions under their ownership and within
their own territories.
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