Fact-check: Most pre-election promises on healthcare remain unfulfilled
The fact-checking project «Re:Check» has found that most of the promises parties made regarding healthcare ahead of the previous Saeima elections four years ago have not been fulfilled.
Latvia's healthcare system has long suffered from a familiar set of problems. The sector lacks funding and medical staff, patients often face long waiting times for services, and residents are forced to cover a significant share of treatment costs out of their own pockets.
Ahead of the previous Saeima elections, held four years ago, political parties promised in their campaign platforms to address these issues. Among the pledges were lowering medication prices, increasing the healthcare sector's budget, and improving the accessibility of health services for the population.
Promises assessed critically
The fact-checking project "Re:Check," run by "Re:Baltica," examined how far these healthcare-related promises had actually been carried out over the past four years. Its conclusion is that relatively little of what parties promised in this area has actually been implemented.
This means that most of the problems mentioned above — insufficient funding, a shortage of medical workers, long waiting lists, and high out-of-pocket costs for residents — remain relevant today, despite the promises made four years ago to resolve them.
