the existing shape of the latvian workforce which is set out in chapter presents a number of challenges including the geographic distribution of health professionals the ageing workforce the challenge of low salaries and outmigration of health professionals and of the need for the workforce to adapt to meet changing population health needs such a plan should consider training needs based on expected retirement rates geographical shortages of health professionals should be considered and latvia could consider targeting recruitment for training towards populations in rural and underserved areas who may be more likely to wish to return to practice in the area see section financial incentives for physicians nurses pharmacists and other health professionals to serve in rural areas could be again considered although so far higher salaries in rural areas does not appear to have encouraged specialists to relocate other incentives such as access to a broader range of services such as accommodation and child care may prove more attractive