Ahead of 1 September – the first day of the new school year – the National Health Service (NHS) has compiled information on the latest developments and improvements in publicly funded healthcare for children. Several significant new services have been introduced this year, alongside measures to improve access to healthcare, the NHS reports.
Healthcare services
Significant changes have been introduced to improve access to optical products in the regions for children with certain visual impairments and eye diseases. Since 1 July this year, ophthalmologist consultations have also been available to children at several regional hospitals, where doctors are authorised to issue referrals for publicly funded vision correction aids. Previously, parents had to travel with their children to the Children’s Clinical University Hospital, whereas these services are now also available at Vidzeme Hospital, Daugavpils Regional Hospital, Jēkabpils Regional Hospital and North Kurzeme Regional Hospital.
Another important development concerns the provision of outpatient services. Since the beginning of this year, state funding for children and adults has been planned separately, meaning that healthcare institutions can no longer redirect funding quotas intended for children to services for adults. The new arrangement applies to 14 service programmes, including magnetic resonance imaging, Doppler ultrasonography, gastroenterology, ultrasonography, radiology, allergology, dermatology, cardiology and neurology, among others.
To reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, publicly funded preventive laboratory tests have been introduced for children aged 5 to 11 since 1 July this year. These include fasting tests to determine low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, total cholesterol and glucose levels.
A new service was also introduced in July – deep brain stimulation therapy for children with primary (genetic) dystonia and, where certain indications are met, secondary dystonia. For children with epilepsy, the range of publicly funded services has been expanded to include stereotactic electroencephalography prior to surgery.
As part of a pilot project, since 1 July the state has provided long-term pharmacotherapy at the Children’s Clinical University Hospital for the treatment of opioid use disorders in minors who excessively use addictive substances.
Publicly funded treatment outside Latvia
In cases where treatment is necessary to save a patient’s life or maintain vital functions but cannot be provided in Latvia, publicly funded healthcare may be received in another European Union or European Economic Area country, the Swiss Confederation or the United Kingdom.
This year, 27 children have already received such treatment on the basis of a decision by a medical council and an S2 form issued by the NHS. Last year, 47 children received publicly funded healthcare services abroad. These services were most frequently provided in Lithuania, Germany or Sweden. The highest cost covered by the state budget for the treatment of a single child amounts to EUR 170 000. Overall, invoices totalling EUR 5.4 million were received in 2025 for services provided under S2 forms.
Improvements in reimbursable medicines
The highest cost covered by the state budget for reimbursable medicines provided to a single child this year amounts to EUR 432 000. In 2025, the highest cost of pharmaceutical therapy for a single child reached EUR 455 000, the NHS reports.
The state also reimburses medicines on an individual basis following a decision by a medical council. This year, 989 positive decisions have already been made, including 299 decisions concerning the individual reimbursement of medicines for children. A total of EUR 8.1 million from the state budget has been allocated for individual reimbursement. Last year, 452 positive decisions on the individual reimbursement of medicines for children were made.
Access to several state-reimbursed medicines for children has also been improved this year by expanding the reimbursement criteria for certain medicines already included in the List of Reimbursable Medicines, as well as by adding new and cost-effective medicines.
Access to therapy has been improved for children with blood coagulation disorders by expanding reimbursement criteria and making treatment available to broader groups of patients. For patients with inherited factor VIII deficiency, a new therapy is now also available to children from the age of seven, while for patients with haemophilia without inhibitors it is available up to the age of 18. In addition, an innovative therapy for the treatment of high-risk neuroblastoma has been introduced for children from the age of one with a malignant adrenal tumour. Children aged two and over who have been exposed to the risk of HIV infection are provided with a publicly funded four-week course of post-exposure prophylaxis to reduce the risk of infection.
Several new therapies for rare diseases in children have also been included in the reimbursement system, including treatments for neurofibromatosis and Alagille syndrome, providing opportunities to reduce disease symptoms and improve quality of life. Treatment options for patients with cystic fibrosis have also been expanded with the addition of a new therapy to the List of Reimbursable Medicines. This not only complements the treatment options already available but also provides access to modern therapy for patients for whom the previously available publicly funded specific therapy was not suitable. For spinal muscular atrophy, treatment options have been expanded by providing bridging therapy until gene therapy can be initiated.
From 1 September, two new medicines for the treatment of epilepsy in children will also be added to the List of Reimbursable Medicines. In the case of psoriasis, all state-reimbursed biological medicines will in future be available not only to adults but also to children, in accordance with the specified indications.
Overall, EUR 14.4 million has been allocated to children’s healthcare this year, while EUR 2.9 million has been allocated for the provision of reimbursable medicines. The state List of Reimbursable Medicines currently includes 2,215 medicines and medical devices. Total state funding for the provision of reimbursable medicines and medical devices to the population amounts to EUR 324.5 million in 2026, compared with EUR 320 million last year.