The Minister of Health, Līga MenĖelsone, has instructed the Council of the Riga Eastern Clinical University Hospital (RAKUS) to resolve the situation between the hospital’s board and the doctors of the Latvian Oncology Center (LOC) within a month. The Council is tasked with implementing a plan of measures that would balance contact and mutual relations, as well as ensure the continuity of treatment services for oncology patients, informing the minister about the progress once a week.
“The main sufferer, without resolving the difficult situation between the RAKUS board and the LOC doctors, will be the patient. Therefore, I believe that all efforts and available resources should be made to resolve this situation as far as possible. Both sides – both the company’s board and the doctors – are “hostages” to the long-term insufficient financing of the industry. However, we cannot allow a situation where patients lose the possibility of consultations and operations by highly qualified doctors in a modern and safe environment,” says Minister of Health L. MenĆľesone.
On December 28, while visiting RAKUS, the Minister of Health met with the board, as well as the management and leading specialists of the Latvian Oncology Center.
“I saw and felt this desperate situation and called on both the board and the doctors to continue talking and agreeing, because I believe and am convinced that a solution can be found. However, at this moment, in order to activate the dialogue and the search for solutions, I invite the RAKUS Council to get involved. This week I will meet with patient organizations and discuss the situation with the non-governmental sector as well. RAKUS has a very important step towards modern and patient-oriented healthcare – the certification of the Cancer Center, which will bring a series of improvements and changes in the treatment of oncological diseases. Driving such change requires dialogue with stakeholders now. However, it is impossible to implement it if they do not cooperate, but work against each other.”
