LVSADA campaign for EP elections "On the right to health care!" and successful appeal to Latvian MEP candidates

Riga, 22 April 2014/Brussels, 30 May 2014

LVSADA campaign "On the right to health care!" and successful appeal to Latvian MEP candidates

Running towards the elections to the European Parliament end of May, the Trade Union of Health and Social Care Employees of Lativa (LVSADA) has launched a campaign aimed at increasing the Latvian population’s access to quality and timely medical care and an appeal to Latvian MEP candidates.

When Latvia joined the European Union (EU) Latvian citizens were promised good health and access to health services, as stipulated in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights - Art. 35 "Health Care" reads: Everyone has the right of access to preventive health care and the right to benefit from medical treatment under the conditions established by national laws and practices. A high level of human health protection shall be ensured in the definition and implementation of all the Union's policies and activities - and other legislation. In reality, however, the Latvian governments from 2004 to 2014 reduced their spending on health from 3.3% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 20004 to 2.9% of GDP in 2004, the lowest amount across the EU, while on average in the EU the spending increased from 6.6% to 7.3% of GDP in the last 10 years. Latvian’s neighbouring countries spend more than 5% of their GDP on health care which results for the populations there in a much better access to medical services than for the Latvian population. In addition Latvian mortality rates exceed those in other new EU MS and Latvia is confronted to a steep increase in disability, the number of cases nearly doubled since 2004 – and this on the backdrop of a decrease of the population by about 300,000 as a consequence of outwards migration In the last decade.

LVSADA’s Chairman Dr. Valdis Keris summarises: “These developments cannot continue! The European Parliament has adopted a condemnatory statement on human rights abuses by the financial crisis. Unfortunately, it ignored the Latvian population’s cries for help. Thus, the Trade Union of Health and Social Care Employees calls on the Latvian candidates for the European Parliament election to give preference to people who really want to take care of the Latvian population's health and well-being. On 23 April we sent letters to each MEP candidate with a request to clarify whether he/she is ready to defend Latvian citizens' human right to timely and quality health care. We will publish by 22 May on our website the names of those that will react positive to our appeal and also of those that stay silent as of this day to allow our members and the Latvian citizens to make their own judgement whom they want to send to the European Parliament to represent their interests during the next mandate 2014-2019”.

Please watch the video “Par tiesībām uz veselības aprūpi!” (“On the right to health care!”), in Latvian with subtitles in English.

Have a look at the poster of the campaign in FR


What has been the outcome of LVSADA's campaign. It is difficult to assess the direct impact on the voters (the turnout was also rather low, with only about 30% of Latvian citizens voting). What can be said, however, is that out of 24 candidates for the European Parliament 23 endorsed the demands of LVSADA and only one candidate wrote he would not do so. Have a look at the LVSADA poster showing this result (in Latvian).




LVSADA’s Chairman Dr. Valdis Keris concludes: “This response to our appeal is a clear success for us. We nevertheless have to continue to work to better inform the Latvian citizens about the possibilities the European Parliament to support policies that would improve their living and working conditions and our health system."

Please find more information on earlier activities, protests and campaigns by LVSADA supported by EPSU read the two articles "Appeal of Latvian Trade Union of Health and Social Care Employees with regard to the Latvian EU Council Presidency" (November 2012) and "Latvian workers protesting against continued dismantling of health care and social services" (August 2013).