Investments from the European Union (EU) Social Climate Fund will help strengthen access to healthcare across Latvia’s regions. By 2032, the funding is expected to support the purchase of more than 200 zero-emission vehicles for general practitioners (GPs), home healthcare providers and mobile palliative care services, enabling healthcare professionals to reach patients promptly, including those living in more remote areas.
The European Commission has approved Latvia’s Social Climate Fund Plan, making Latvia the third EU Member State to receive approval for its plan.
The Social Climate Fund investment is intended for areas where access to healthcare is more limited due to geographical and mobility-related challenges. Nineteen municipalities in Latvia meet the EU’s eligibility criteria. They are served by 293 GPs providing state-funded primary healthcare, including services at 91 additional consultation sites, as well as 35 home healthcare providers and four mobile palliative care providers.
All organisations deliver publicly funded healthcare services, including private-sector providers that have contracts with the National Health Service.
During the preparation of the plan, consultations were held with potential beneficiaries, and representatives of the sector expressed strong interest in the proposed support. Latvian Association of Rural Family Doctors noted that GP practices serving sparsely populated areas travel significant distances every day to provide healthcare to some of the country’s most vulnerable residents. As a result, measures supporting mobility would represent a valuable investment in the future development of primary healthcare.
According to the Association’s president, Ainis Dzalbs, the work of GPs in rural areas frequently involves regular home visits to patients who are unable to travel to a medical practice because of age, health conditions, mobility limitations or social circumstances. As Latvia’s population continues to age, particularly in regional areas, demand for home healthcare services is steadily increasing.
Home visits provided by GP practice teams are resource-intensive due to rising fuel prices and vehicle maintenance costs. Distances between patients’ homes in rural areas are considerably greater than in urban settings, making reliable and economical transport essential for delivering high-quality primary healthcare. The use of electric vehicles could improve GPs’ mobility, enable more timely home visits, reduce the costs associated with home healthcare and encourage the adoption of environmentally friendly transport. This would represent a significant long-term investment in improving access to primary healthcare services across the regions, while also serving as an additional incentive for young GPs considering a career in Latvia’s more remote areas.
Ainis Dzalbs, President of the Latvian Association of Rural Family Doctors
The total investment available through the EU fund will amount to €16 million. The funding is planned to support the purchase of:
- 204 zero-emission passenger vehicles;
- 8 specialised zero-emission patient transport vehicles; and
- the installation of 204 charging points to provide sustainable long-term infrastructure, particularly in rural areas where charging facilities remain unevenly distributed.
GP practices are expected to receive funding for 161 zero-emission passenger vehicles together with corresponding charging infrastructure. Home healthcare providers will receive one zero-emission passenger vehicle and one charging point in each of the 35 service areas.
For mobile palliative care, each of Latvia’s four regions—Kurzeme, Vidzeme, Zemgale and Latgale—is expected to receive two specialised patient transport vehicles, two zero-emission passenger vehicles and two charging points. This approach reflects the fact that mobile palliative care teams provide patient care on a continuous 24-hour, seven-day-a-week basis.b
The vehicles and charging infrastructure are scheduled to be introduced gradually between 2027 and 2032.
The Social Climate Fund is a new European Union financial instrument designed to mitigate the social impacts of climate policy associated with the introduction of the emissions trading system. The fund supports investments in building energy efficiency and clean mobility.
