Health services in Latvia

Latvian health care insurance is based on the principle of residence.
State compulsory health insurance resources are formed by the fixed part of the income tax (28,4%) and state budget subsidy.
The above-mentioned resources guarantee the coverage of expenses for health care services in the volumes defined by the state or the minimal volume of health care services. Currently all the citizens of the Republic of Latvia and its residents, as well as citizens of other countries, who have received residence permission, receive guaranteed medical assistance budgeted by the state.
You can get health care services at state, regional and private medical institutions.
It is possible to get health services budgeted by the state only in the medical institution that has the agreement with the Health Compulsory Insurance State Agency. Health care is organized according to the following structure:

Outpatient (Ambulatory) Care - health services provided without the patient being admitted, and no overnight stay in a hospital is required. The primary health services fall under this category: the services of ambulatory care centers, hospital outpatient departments, family doctors, physicians. This type of service is also called primary outpatient health care.
Inpatient Care - health care that you get when you stay overnight in a hospital. Inpatient care services include emergency, acute care, and first aid medical services (highly complex and skilled services).
When the patient is getting medical services, he has to pay a certain amount of the service value - patient liability. This is a fixed payment defined by the state, and which the patient has to reimburse to the medical institution for rendered health care services.

To call-out emergency medical care team: phone 03, from a mobile phone 112.

Twenty-four hours information line about admitted persons in Riga hospitals: Tel: +371 7375472 (admitted on the same day/night), +371 7375449 (admitted few days before).
In case of illness or accident any hospital, health centre (called poliklinika) or surgery (called ambulance situated in the countryside) can be contacted. First aid will be provided at any health care institution in Latvia at the admissions department or accident and emergency centre. Twenty-four hour medical care is available at all hospitals and some health centers.

Pharmacies

Medicine can be bought only at pharmacies in Latvia and there is an extensive network of pharmacies around the country. They can also be found inside some hospitals and health centers, shopping malls, stations etc. Working hours vary from place to place but twenty-four hours pharmacies marked with the letter ‘A’, can be found in major settlements.

Vaccinations

Persons entering in Latvia should hold valid health and life insurance documents that guarantee to cover expenses for medical care such as immediate medical care and transportation to the nearest hospital.
No obligatory vaccinations required going to Latvia. However if spending some time in forests and certain other endemic areas between March and October it is recommended that visitors have a vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis. Ticks live in overgrown forests or meadows and feed by sucking blood from mammals. Most are harmless but a small proportion of them carry the encephalitis virus.
When heading into forested areas it is advisable to wear long trousers tucked into socks, and to keep head and arms covered. Regularly inspect skin and clothing to make sure no ticks are present. Encephalitis is a serious condition, so if a tick bite is found one should seek immediate medical help. Do NOT try to remove ticks from the skin yourself as this can leave the head embedded. If a person has not been vaccinated, immunoglobulin (Ig) should be injected within 72 hours.
Detailed information can be obtained at the Infectology Centre: 3 Linezera Street, Riga (opened for urgent cases 24 hours). Tel: +371 7014595 (for vaccinations), +371 7014552 (for doctor); website: www.infectology.lv