L. Kukuraitis becomes Minister of Health: his goal is to improve cooperation between the healthcare and social welfare systems
Linas Kukuraitis officially became Lithuania's Minister of Health today after taking the oath in the office of Parliament alongside the other members of the country's 21st Government. While pledging to build on the progress already made, the new minister outlined his vision. His priorities include closer cooperation between the healthcare and social welfare systems, improving access to healthcare services, expanding preventive health programmes, and making greater use of artificial intelligence.
As he began his work at the ministry, Linas Kukuraitis thanked outgoing Minister of Health Dr Marija Jakubauskienė for her leadership, her achievements, and for laying the groundwork for the continued transformation of the healthcare system.
"Healthcare is an extremely sensitive field, where the decisions we make literally affect people's lives. Closer cooperation between the healthcare and social welfare systems can help improve not only people's health, but also their overall quality of life. That is why integrating nursing and social care services, along with strengthening links between other services, will be one of my key priorities," Linas Kukuraitis said.
Among his other key priorities for the term, the new minister highlighted reducing waiting times to see medical specialists, strengthening mental health services, particularly for children and young people—expanding preventive health programmes, and improving the healthcare system's preparedness for emergencies. He also plans to introduce artificial intelligence solutions to reduce the administrative burden on healthcare professionals and support more data-driven decision-making.
Minister of Health Linas Kukuraitis holds bachelor's and master's degrees in social work from the Faculty of Philosophy at Vilnius University. He has more than 30 years of experience in community work and the social sector, including areas closely linked to public health and addiction prevention. For more than a decade, he served as director of Vilnius Archdiocese Caritas, having previously founded and led the Blessed Jurgis Matulaitis Social Centre.
Linas Kukuraitis also brings extensive experience in public administration and policymaking. He served as Minister of Social Security and Labour in Lithuania's 17th Government before continuing his public service in Parliament, where he chaired the Committee on Social Affairs and Labour and served on the Commissions for Addiction Prevention, Youth and Sports Affairs, and the Rights of People with Disabilities.