Latvia

Health systems in transition
Latvia
but also for the coordination and management of the entire emergency medical
situation in the country. The State Shares Management Unit supervises all those
capital companies in which the Ministry of Health owns shares.
The Department of Public Health consists of four units and is responsible
for the elaboration of legislative and policy planning documents as well as
implementation of the policy related to environmental health, health promotion,
epidemiological safety of infectious diseases, and surveillance and control of
addiction-related health problems.
The Pharmaceuticals Department consists of the two units appearing in
Fig. 2.2, and deals with policy, legislation and management of care in the
field of pharmaceuticals (human and veterinary). The department supervises
all the processes of production, import and distribution of medicines as well
as pharmaceutical care. In addition, all items related to the legal circulation
of narcotics, psychotropic substances and their precursors come under the
supervision of this department. Two state agencies (the State Agency of
Medicines and the State Medicines Pricing and Reimbursement Agency) are
also under the direct supervision of the department and are responsible for
implementing the department’s tasks. These agencies are discussed in detail
later.
The Department of Budget consists of four units and is responsible for the
management of financial resources, health budget planning, and supervising
the efficiency of health expenditure.
The Departments of Public Health, Pharmaceuticals and Budget existed
prior to the Ministry’s restructuring of November 2006, although they underwent
certain transformations through the addition of new units, aiming to streamline
their operations.
The Investment Department was established specifically for the purpose of
handling EU funds that are to be used in the health sector. This department is in
charge of planning and surveillance of projects financed by EU funds, as well
as for effective communication with the relevant EU bodies.
The Revision and Internal Audit Department deals with internal audits within
institutions under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health (state agencies,
centres) to ensure their compliance with regulations on administrative and
financial matters. It is to provide planned and regular audits as well as ad hoc
audits, organized upon request by the Ministry of Health.
The aim of the Department of Policy Planning is to elaborate common state
health policy and to supervise the implementation of strategic documents, along
with intersectoral policy coordination. This department is also responsible for
E-health project implementation.
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