On March 22, members had the opportunity to discuss the latest developments in the healthcare system with Hosams Abu Meri, Minister of Health during AmCham's speaker luncheon. In his presentation, the Minister of Health spoke about the reorganization of the healthcare system of Latvia and the main challenges. 

The Minister highlighted his top priorities - putting control on the model of pricing of medicines, enabling the digital management center to implement the digital health strategy, ensuring a more sustainable financing model, and developing the HC talent strategy.

During the luncheon members discussed how to ensure patient access to health services and medicines, the main challenges for allocating sustainable financing for healthcare, increasing preventive screening rates, and what the private sector can do to accelerate positive change in Latvia’s healthcare system. Besides the Minister's participation, the luncheon was joined by several high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Health and NHS. 

The event was moderated by Roberts Melbardis, AmCham Vice President. 

About the Speaker: 

Hosams Abu Meri has been the Minister for Health of the Republic of Latvia since September 2023. He has been actively involved in Latvian politics since 2011 when he became Advisor to the Minister of the Interior. He became Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Welfare in 2016–2017, was the Chairman of the “Unity” fraction in 2017–2018, and served as Advisor to the Prime Minister for Integration Affairs from 2019 to 2022. Dr. Abu Meri is a distinguished gastroenterologist, specializing in endoscopy. He graduated as a medical doctor from the Medical Academy of Latvia, before gaining diplomas in internal medicine and gastroenterology from the University of Latvia.

The event is powered by AbbVie, Medtronic, Novartis, Roche Latvija.

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