On Wednesday, 14 August, the Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation to Latvia, Mr Martin Michelet, and the Deputy State Secretary for European Union (EU) Funds at the Ministry of Finance, Mr Armands Eberhard, signed the agreement on the programme "Advancement of paediatric cancer care", thus officially launching the practical implementation of the programme. This is the first programme agreement signed under the Swiss-Latvian cooperation programme, out of a total of four planned.
The programme "Advancement of paediatric cancer care" will be implemented with a budget of 8.8 million Swiss francs or 9.3 million euros (7.9 million Swiss and 1.4 million Latvian state budget financing) and will improve the approach to diagnosis and personalised treatment by creating a monitoring system for long-term support of children with cancer. In the future, this system will also be developed for adult oncological and rare disease patients.
Cancer treatment is one of the public health priorities in Latvia. More than 60 children and adolescents are diagnosed with a malignant tumour every year and on average 14 deaths of children and adolescents are caused by malignant tumours every year. Thanks to the Swiss - Latvian Cooperation Programme, it will be possible to train and develop the competences of healthcare professionals and to implement patient-centred initiatives covering the whole continuum of treatment and care, which is particularly necessary for children with oncological and rare diseases. The programme will lead to the establishment of a long-term support and monitoring system, introducing evidence-based measurement, monitoring and improvement of treatment outcomes.
Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation Martin Michelet: “This one of a kind programme will further strengthen the excellent bilateral relations between Switzerland and Latvia, through collaborations between Swiss and Latvian Hospitals. Strengthened partnerships with European countries are important for Switzerland, especially in the current context. By sharing high expertise, experience and knowledge, we are confident that this programme will have a direct impact on the most vulnerable children patients in Latvia.”
"The implementation of this programme will improve the diagnosis, treatment and quality of life of children with rare diseases and cancer, enhance a patient-centred and multidisciplinary approach and integrate childhood cancer and rare diseases care services across the continuum of care. In addition, we believe that the bilateral partnership between the Children's Clinical University Hospital in Latvia and the University Hospitals of Lausanne and Zurich, as well as the potential partnership with the University Hospital of Geneva and the University Hospital for Children in Zurich, will be of great added value in the implementation of the programme. We are pleased and grateful to the parties involved, including the Swiss Embassy, for their valuable and efficient support in the development of this programme," said Armands Eberhard, Deputy State Secretary for EU Funds at the Ministry of Finance.
"Oncology is our priority, and we are paying special attention to paediatric oncology in our new cancer care plan. I am therefore grateful for the additional investment to further develop the diagnosis, personalised treatment and quality of life of children with cancer. Long-term support for children who have had cancer is an important aspect. The patient is at the heart of healthcare, so it is essential to ensure the widest possible involvement of all parties during the implementation of this programme in order to have a positive long-term impact in the field of oncology," said Boriss Kņigins, Deputy State Secretary on Financial Issues at the Ministry of Health.
Valts Ābols, Chairman of the Board of the Children's Clinical University Hospital, emphasises: "This programme is an important step in the development of paediatric oncology in Latvia. It will allow us not only to improve the quality of diagnosis and treatment, but also to establish a long-term monitoring and support system for children who have won their battle against cancer. Our cooperation with our Swiss partners will be a major investment in the future of the Latvian healthcare system, and we are determined to make the most of it. Our aim is to contribute to the development of the Latvian healthcare system and to give hope to families whose children have been affected by this serious disease."
This is the first programme agreement signed under the Swiss-Latvian Cooperation Programme, out of a total of four planned programmes in focused areas of bilateral interest. Latvia will receive a total of 42.4 million euros of Swiss funding, which will support four programmes - "Partnership in applied research: innovative materials, information and communication technologies and smart energy", "Stronger work-based learning to improve vocational education and training in Latvia", "Development of child cancer care in Latvia" and "Remediation of historically contaminated sites". The programmes will run in Latvia until 3 December 2029.
