05 Nov How people in Latvia rate access to children’s healthcare in the regions.

To support the need for free children healthcare accessibility in rural areas of Latvia, McDonald’s is launching its annual McHappy Day charity campaign this November. A total of 500 000 euros is needed to fund a new Care Mobile – fully equipped the most modern medical unit offering free healthcare services to children in more than 40 remote locations across the country. All proceeds will be directed to Ronald McDonald House Charities Latvia (RMHC Latvia), which is committed to improving children’s access to essential healthcare.

A survey conducted by McDonald’s highlights the challenges in healthcare accessibility for children. Over half of respondents described healthcare accessibility as insufficient, with 28% considering it average and 23% deeming it poor or very poor. Only 22% of survey participants rated it as good or very good. 

The most concerning situation is in Latgale and Zemgale, where nearly one-third of respondents (30%) characterize healthcare accessibility for children as poor or very poor. In Vidzeme, 25% of respondents believe accessibility is average, while a significant portion (23%) rates it negatively. In Kurzeme, 34% of those surveyed indicate average accessibility, but 27% view it as poor or very poor. In comparison, the situation in Riga and Pierīga is better, with 25% – 26% of respondents rating it as good or very good.

Long waiting times are the primary barrier to healthcare accessibility for children, affecting 35% of families. This issue is most severe in Vidzeme (40%), followed by Zemgale (36%), Kurzeme (30%), Pierīga (29%) and Latgale (26%). The second major concern is a lack of specialists, reported by 25% of respondents, followed by insufficient government funding (20%), and issues related to low quality of services and distance to medical facilities (7%). 

“As McDonald’s celebrates 30 years in Latvia, we reflect on the meaningful contributions we’ve made to our society and the communities we serve. For more than 14 years, McDonald’s has proudly supported RMHC Latvia and its Care Mobile program. Together with our customers, we have raised over 820,000 euros to improve children’s health and well-being. This year, we are determined to take another significant step by raising the necessary funds for a new, upgraded Care Mobile. This new unit will enable doctors to deliver timely medical consultations to even more children across Latvia, enhancing healthcare access in rural areas,” says Vladimir Janevski, Managing Director of McDonald’s Baltics. 

“Since 2010, the existing Mobile Care has provided more than   62 800 free medical consultations to children in Latvia. These include consultations with ophthalmologists, optometrists, otolaryngologists, pediatric allergists, pediatric neurologists, physical and rehabilitation specialists, pediatric endocrinologists, pediatric gastroenterologists, speech therapists, dermatologists, and pediatric surgeons/orthopedists. However, after 14 years of service, a new unit is needed to continue delivering quality healthcare,” says Guna Caune, Executive Director of RMHC Latvia. 

These services are particularly important given the significant issue of specialist accessibility in Latvia. As the research shows, in Kurzeme, the greatest shortage is in allergists, ophthalmologists and optometrists, and pediatric surgeons. In Zemgale, the highest need is for pediatric neurologists, pediatric surgeons, and allergists. Meanwhile, in Latgale, there is a dominance of lack of ophthalmologists and optometrists, otolaryngologists, and allergists. Vidzeme faces shortages in dermatologists, pediatric surgeons, and allergists.

This year, the symbol of the McHappy Day campaign is the bunny “Frīdis,” which will be given as a thank-you gift to every donor who contributes 11.99 euros at McDonald’s restaurants. Donations can also be made via donation boxes in all McDonald’s restaurants, on the RMHC Latvia website, or by purchasing a Happy Meal, from which 0.02 euros will be donated to charity.

More information about the Mobile Care and the McHappy Day campaign is available www.mcdonalds.lv.