Editing Latvia (section)

=== Health ===

{{Main|Health in Latvia}}
The Latvian healthcare system is a [[universal health care|universal programme]], largely funded through government taxation.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2005_Nov_18/ai_n15860135/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120711124324/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2005_Nov_18/ai_n15860135/ |archive-date=11 July 2012 |title=Latvia's Healthcare System is Funded by General Taxation and All Latvians and Foreign Residents Are Guaranteed Medical Care &#124; Find Articles at BNET |publisher=Findarticles.com |date= 18 November 2005|access-date=5 February 2010}}</ref> It is among the lowest-ranked healthcare systems in Europe, due to excessive waiting times for treatment, insufficient access to the latest medicines, and other factors.<ref>{{cite web |author= |url=http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/analytics/?doc=7137 |title=Latvia has worst health care system in Europe |publisher=[[The Baltic Course]] |date=14 November 2008 |access-date=5 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511212308/http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/analytics/?doc=7137 |archive-date=11 May 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> There were 59 hospitals in Latvia in 2009, down from 94 in 2007 and 121 in 2006.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/18/business/global/18lat.html?ref=business | work=The New York Times | title=Latvian Health Official Resigns Over Cuts | author=David Jolly | date=18 June 2009 | access-date=4 April 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511212454/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/18/business/global/18lat.html?ref=business | archive-date=11 May 2011 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.csb.gov.lv/csp/content/?cat=2310 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071216125055/http://www.csb.gov.lv/csp/content/?cat=2310 |archive-date=16 December 2007 |title=The basic indicators of health care, at the end of the year |publisher=Csb.gov.lv |date=22 January 2010 |access-date=5 February 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://healthcare-in-europe.com/en/news/the-baltic-states-their-health-systems-from-soviet-to-eu.html |title=The Baltic States and their health systems&nbsp;– From Soviet to EU |publisher=Healthcare-in-Europea |access-date=5 February 2010 |archive-date=8 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210808211419/https://healthcare-in-europe.com/en/news/the-baltic-states-their-health-systems-from-soviet-to-eu.html |url-status=live }}</ref>