A problem came to light, that is, medical goods and medicines, or their raw materials produced in the aggressor country, keep arriving in Latvia. However, there are no substitutes for them, so the Ministry of Health does not support such amendments to the law.
The fact that goods manufactured in Russia and Belarus or their raw materials are still offered to state and local government institutions in public procurement is absurd, says Uģis Mitrevics, a member of the opposition National Union.
He was very surprised to hear in the Saeima commission that medical goods, such as implants, manufactured in Russia are still being used in Latvian hospitals.
Ugis Mitrevics
Member of the Saeima (NA)
We cannot afford to be stuck on the needle of Russia in such a sensitive issue, two years have passed for us to review and reorient ourselves, to put our kitchen in order, it is an abnormal situation. (..) and this in general should not be a reason for us to stop this initiative to refuse goods of Russian, Belarusian origin. If there is something that poses a threat to our people, health, national security, let’s talk, we impose a transition period, but we have to leave Russia.
The Ministry of Health states that – currently, no centralized national health service purchases medical goods or equipment from Russia, but medicines are exceptions.
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There is still cooperation with third countries in the trade of medicines, as medicines are not subject to international sanctions for humanitarian reasons.
About 10% of medicines that are not registered in Latvia, but are needed by patients, are imported from Russia or Belarus. The parliamentary secretary points out that if analogues of medicines could still be found in other countries, it would be more difficult with various medical products, because of their raw materials.
Artyoms Urshulskis
Parliamentary Secretary (JV) of the Ministry of Health
There are medical goods – they can be implants or they can be surgical instruments that are manufactured in other countries, Europe or America, but it cannot be ruled out that these companies buy raw materials from Russia, and it is actually quite difficult to trace them, there can also be middlemen at that raw material stage, and then the question is really technical, how do we track where that raw material is from?
Meanwhile, the director of the Society for Openness – Delna emphasizes that the medical industry has had enough time, since the war in Ukraine started by Russia, to reorient and change suppliers of goods, similar to what has been done in other areas.
Inese Tauriņa
Director of the Society “Society for Openness – Delna”.
Are there really no other substitute products or goods available anywhere else in the world? Because what is important is to understand whether the fact that it cannot be replaced is a fact or just a feeling that “yes, it is difficult for us to reorient ourselves, it is difficult for us”, but we can see that in other industries as well, that is hardly the case in this case, it is simply unwillingness and insufficient will. and then the politicians should decide, if the companies don’t understand themselves, then let’s make it a law!
The Ministry of Health states that there should be a political decision regarding such a ban in the medical sector from the beginning, and then experts could decide on a transition period for the implementation of such a decision.
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Tags: Ministry Health opposes plan ban goods aggressor countries public procurement
