The financial crisis has affected every sector of the economy in the entire world. Consequently, reduced income, unemployment and stress have influenced people’s health. However, health is not a product which can be consumed and replaced, and people cannot choose the timing of their illness.

More often it can be heard that health is wealth and undoubtedly every person, society and country wants to be wealthy; therefore, the discussion on the impact of health on wealth must lead to action. Many countries also face a shortage of resources which can be allocated for health-care. That urges us to find the best solutions for overcoming the crisis and to develop new approaches in highlighting the significance of the health-care sector.

Latvia is one of the countries most affected by the crisis, but we are on the way to recover.  Our future generations will benefit from reforms which are currently being implemented in our health-care sector. As a medical doctor, I have a genuine interest in the process of these reforms and the future of health-care sector because healthy people can add more value to society and can help us to overcome the crisis much faster.

Due to Latvia’s experience in dealing with the crisis, Riga is the best place to have a discussion on the impact of the financial crisis on national health-care system and global health, and, what is most important, to take note of the lessons learned and to identify future challenges. Therefore, I invite health-care professionals from all over the world to participate in discussions which will be held in Riga in September.

Gundars Daudze, MD

Speaker of the Saeima (Parliament of the Republic of Latvia)

To my mind financial crisis causes two mutually negative effects on the society – the crisis not only negatively affects the health of the society and the functioning of the health care system, but also worsening of the public health even more deepens the financial crisis. That is reason for positioning health care as one of the priority sectors of the national economy as it is maintaining the main drive for the development of national economy – healthy person who works for the well-being of his or hers country.

Every country has its own tradition, culture and understanding of solving different issues, including the organization of the health care. However there are regularities and basic processes that unite the countries. This makes the process of meeting each other, discussing and listening of the expertise from other countries so valuable in order to learn and implement the best practices.

Although the health care system of Latvia has always been affected by the overall financial situation of the country, I am proud and truly glad for the high qualification, knowledge and international success of our health care professionals.

There have been made mistakes, but on the other hand, we have considerable achievements and expertise that we can share. Financial crisis is the time for evaluation, as well as it is the time for new opportunities. It is the time for those who truly want to work and achieve results.

I am happy that the important conference this autumn will take place in Latvia and I kindly invite all the interested experts and health care professionals to visit Riga and to share the highly valuable expertise and gain recommendations for the future work.

See you all on the 10^th to 11^th of September in Riga!

Minister for Health

Didzis Gavars

The relationship between economy and public health is anything but simple. First, the health care system is part of economy; second, economy has an impact on health; and last but not least, health affects economy.

Welfare states spend 8 to 16 % of their gross domestic product (GDP) on health care, which means that health care is a strong, maybe even the most powerful identifiable sector of those economies. Economic downturn will always have an effect on health care systems. However, as health care markets are largely internal, the effects of a global crisis will be seen with a certain delay.  Vice versa, (initially) unaffected health care systems may buffer the effects of a crisis and, thus, reduce the economic impact or even the decline.

When health care systems are affected, it is the public that will suffer. It is safe to say that the vulnerable will be hit most severely. Furthermore, a decrease in the general health status of a country’s population is a poor starting point for economic recovery.

But we can also be adamant and claim that a robust, functioning health care system is important for our people and economies. Health professionals produce added value for society: a deeply humanistic, social and strong economic value, even in times when other parts of economy fail.

Dr. Otmar Kloiber
Secretary General
The World Medical Association

In order to discuss the implications of the financial crisis on health sector, the World Medical Association in cooperation with the Latvian Medical Association would like to organise the conference “The Financial Crisis – Implications for Health Care. Lessons for the future”. Conference will take place in Riga, Latvia on 10th and 11th September, 2010.

The financial crisis has affected the economies of nearly all countries around the world. While some countries experienced “only” a recession, some of them are still in deep recession leading to factual insolvency situations. However now, after the billions invested in rescue packages for financial institutions and a first wave of economic recovery programmes, the situation reflects already is some signals of stabilisation. One of the economy sectors, that also suffers seriously is - health care. Health care systems in many countries seem to be rather stable and only moderately affected while others experience significant budget cuts leading to terminating primary and secondary health care services in some areas. In the process of economical recovery it is important to make investments in health care thus promoting healthier way of life and ensuring more productive work, that leads to faster economical recovery. Analyses of crisis impact on the health sector have been undertaken in many countries already since the very beginning as well as a range of recommendations and strategies have been suggested to the governments. The responses will vary from country to country. Nevertheless, strategies will need to combine measures to protect the health budget and to prioritise sectors and groups, to preserve and strengthen the quality and efficiency of the health sector performance.

The conference is expected to gather between 300 and 400 professionals from Europe, Asia and America. Based on the evidence, drawn from international experience, and research, health experts and health professionals, participating at the Conference, will provide an overview of the major threats and challenges to the health systems caused by the economic crisis. Participants will identify current key problems and challenges faced by the health systems in Europe and globally. Speakers will outline responses that countries so far have developed according the problems and challenges and look into some priority areas to assess the effect of the economic recession and to explore effective policies in resolving the main problems being created. Value of the Conference will be the important experience gained and different ways observed to find the best possible solutions for leading health care systems out of the crisis in order to reach faster improvement of health and recovery of the economy.

Rinalds Muciņš, State Secretary

For Rīga Stradiņš University, the year 2010 is anniversary year, as 60 years have passed since we were founded, an event which will be officially celebrated in September this year.

We have great honor to hold an important international conference “Financial Crisis – Implications for Health Care Lessons for the future” at this particular time bringing together many distinguished guests from all over the world. This is the first time when World Medical Association conference has been held in Latvia, thus recognizing the significant experience of Latvia and its specialists in the health care field and their contribution internationally, as well as our readiness to organize such important gatherings.

Our University has always had an international focus. Our students, teaching staff and visiting lecturers are well known throughout the world. Each year hundreds of students from foreign countries, as well as tens of visiting lecturers, arrive here to study or teach at our University. You will encounter students and lecturers who have collaborated with us, at the world’s largest and oldest universities, at the most modern research institutes and the most prominent clinics. It is the active acquisition of wider world experience and knowledge, the joint work of teaching staff and students in researching the health care system, and the introduction and promotion of solutions, which have allowed us to develop and introduce innovative developments into the learning process and further – into the medical system as a whole.

I believe that even now, in addressing the effect of the global financial crisis on health care and medicine, in order to look into the future, we have to look back into the past – a careful analysis of the experience and knowledge which we have acquired up till now will enable us find solutions and provide guidance for predicting the future. The world is changing quickly, and that’s why the global exchange of knowledge and experience specifically, is growing in importance. In my opinion, this international conference is a good example of the mutual cooperation of modern education and science for our common development and helps us pave the way for future solutions to complex issues in Latvia and the rest of the world.

The conference venue, which is located in our University’s just completed Great Hall, is not only an outstanding concert hall, but is also a comfortable conference complex, equipped with the latest technology and designed for hosting a high level international conferences. We hope that the exchange of experience and knowledge, which will take place at this conference, will be a good beginning for further cooperation at the same high level, both with our guests as well as others interested in medicine and health care.

You are warmly welcomed to Latvia and Rīga Stradiņš University!

RSU Rector,

Prof. Jānis Gardovskis