The Latvian government on Tuesday approved a 20 percent wage increase for medics, effective as of January 1, 2019, local media reported.

The Finance Ministry said that the 87.5 million euros necessary for the pay rise has been provided in the budget from various sources.

Representatives of the Health Ministry said that next year wages would be raised by 20 percent for medical staff working in hospitals and outpatient institutions, as well as the employees of the Emergency Medical Service.

Healthcare workers' minimum wage will go up as well under the new regulation.

Health Minister Anda Caksa said that the goal of the pay rise is to ensure that Latvia has enough physicians, nurses, paramedics to treat the patients. The plan is to start with raising the lowest wages and ensure steady wage growth across the whole health sector, the minister said.

The average wage of medics is projected to further grow by an annual 20 percent also in 2020 and 2021, until it is twice as high as the average wage in Latvia, the Health Ministry said, citing policy planning documents.