Health minister uncertain about 30% pay rise for medics next year

In an interview with TV3's "900 sekundes" programme, Health Minister Hosams Abu Meri said that finding funds to raise healthcare wages next year will again be difficult, as Latvia's economic growth remains slow and all ministries will need to economize. He noted that the new government's declaration sets a target of allocating at least 12% of government spending, or 6% of GDP, to healthcare, which would require an additional 400-500 million euros, including for wages. Asked whether this means medical workers cannot expect the 30% pay rise being demanded at a protest the same day, Abu Meri said the ministry would request it, but the final decision rests with the finance minister and the ruling coalition, not him alone.

Protest outside government building

The same day, the Latvian Trade Union of Health and Social Care Workers (LVSADA) held a protest outside the government building, with around 1,000 people expected to attend. The union initially demanded a 30% wage increase but later agreed to a compromise of 25.4%, which would cost 228.7 million euros. The Health Ministry confirmed this figure to the union in September, but no funding decision has been made.

The Latvian Family Doctors' Association also joined the protest, backing the pay demand and calling for the minister's resignation. The association says it submitted a request in August for a 20% increase in family doctors' pay starting in 2027, but the ministry has not brought it before the government.

Economic losses and risks

The Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia estimates that chronic underfunding of healthcare costs the economy 800 million to 1 billion euros annually through premature mortality, long waiting lists and workforce outflow. LVSADA warns that without adequate funding, medical workers' wages relative to the national average will fall back to 2018 levels, worsening staff shortages. The government's draft budget acknowledges a 663-million-euro additional need for healthcare, but allocates only 45.2 million euros for human resources.