Medicine and health in Lithuania

It's not difficult to get to a doctor in Lithuania, but the system is structured differently than in Ukraine. Here, you can't just choose any specialist and go to see him or her tomorrow. It all starts with the family doctor (šeimos gydytojas), who is the “gateway” to the entire medical system.

Family doctor is the main contact person

To become a patient in a public clinic, you need to sign a declaration with a specific family doctor. He or she maintains your data, issues prescriptions, and refers you to specialized doctors. Without such a doctor, you will not be able to use public healthcare in full.

If you have temporary protection, you can be assigned to a family doctor at the nearest clinic. If you are officially employed, your employer will help you register.

How to make an appointment

There are several ways to make an appointment in Lithuania:

• A phone call to the registry office is still the most common option.
• Through the e-sveikata online portal - here you can book a visit, see referrals or prescriptions.
• Clinic mobile apps - in big cities, many hospitals have their own pharmacies.

In private clinics, everything is simpler: you fill out a form on the website and get an appointment, without a referral from your family doctor. But all services there are paid for directly.

Do you need a referral?

In the public system, yes, almost always. You can see a cardiologist, neurologist, or orthopedist only through your family doctor. Exceptions: gynecologist, psychiatrist, and dentist - you can go there directly.

In private clinics, you do not need a referral, but the appointment is paid (from 30-80 € per consultation, depending on the specialist).

Language barrier

Most doctors speak Lithuanian. English is mostly spoken by junior specialists, and it is easier to find an English-speaking doctor in Vilnius or Kaunas. Only a few can speak Ukrainian or Russian, so you should prepare basic phrases in advance or take an interpreter.

Electronic system e-sveikata

This is a state database that stores your prescriptions, referrals, and test results. After a visit to the doctor, all the data is entered there. It is convenient for the patient:

• At the pharmacy, it is enough to show an ID card - the system will pull up your electronic prescription;
• no need to carry paper certificates;
• when changing doctors, the new specialist immediately sees your history.

Official portal: esveikata.lt

Useful tips for Ukrainians

• If you have just received temporary protection, check with the municipality to which clinic you will be assigned.
• In case of emergencies, you can go directly to the “skubios pagalbos” (emergency room). There is no need for a referral.
• If you need treatment faster than the public waiting list allows, a private clinic will solve the problem, but you will pay for it in full.

Why insurance is important

The most common problem for foreigners in Lithuania is refusal to make an appointment with a doctor without valid insurance. In this case, you are offered only paid services.

To avoid this, take out a policy at home. On Visit Ukraine, you can do it online in a few minutes:

• a policy that is accepted by Lithuanian clinics and migration authorities;
• a document immediately by email;
• round-the-clock support in Ukrainian.

👉 Apply for insurance for Lithuania on Visit Ukraine

There is a rule in Lithuania: without health insurance, access to medicine is limited and very expensive. That's why the first thing people ask in clinics or at the emergency room is “do you have insurance?”

Public health insurance (PSD)

Privalomasis sveikatos draudimas (PSD ) is a compulsory state insurance administered by the National Health Service (VLK).

If you have PSD insurance, most services in public clinics are free of charge:

consultations with a family doctor and subspecialists;

• examinations, laboratory tests, diagnostics
• hospitalization and surgeries;
• vaccinations and preventive programs;
• partial or full coverage of medicines from the list approved by the Ministry of Health.

Who has PSD automatically:

• Citizens of Lithuania;
• Holders of permanent residence;
• officially employed foreigners (employer pays contributions);
• self-employed and entrepreneurs (pay a monthly fee);
• Ukrainians with temporary protection (the state registers them in the system).

How much does it cost

• For an employee, contributions are deducted from the salary: the employer pays the larger part, the employee pays the smaller part.
• For entrepreneurs, the minimum contribution in 2025 is more than €50 per month.
• If a person fails to pay contributions, access to services is blocked and the debt accumulates.

Private insurance

A private policy is required in two cases:

1) If you are a tourist, student, or have just applied for a residence permit - you will not get a visa or residence permit without it.

2) If you want to be treated in private clinics - the state PSD does not cover them.

What private insurance provides:

• Emergency care and hospitalization in case of an accident;
• treatment of acute illnesses that occur during your stay;
• the ability to add options such as dentistry, sports, pregnancy, etc.

Important: the policy often does not cover chronic illnesses or problems that occurred before the date of the contract.

What even PSD does not cover

Even in the public system, there are still services that you have to pay for:

• most dentistry for adults (fillings, dentures);
• cosmetic and aesthetic procedures;
• some medicines that are not included in the state list;
• private services outside the state system.

Why it is important for Ukrainians

• Temporary protection = access to PSD → you use public healthcare on an equal footing with Lithuanians.
• Official work = automatic insurance through your employer.
• Tourists and students = private insurance is a must-have.

How to solve the issue of insurance is simple

Do not risk being left without medical care or with huge bills. The easiest way is to apply for a policy directly on Visit Ukraine:

- suitable for applying for a Lithuanian residence permit and accepted in hospitals;

- can be issued online in 5 minutes, the document is immediately sent to your email;

- covers emergencies, hospitalization, surgeries, and even transportation;

👉 Apply for health insurance for Lithuania on Visit Ukraine

In their first weeks in Lithuania, most Ukrainians face a “domestic medical panic”: where to find a pharmacy in the evening, how to get an antibiotic, will they accept a Ukrainian prescription, and what if my usual pills are not sold? Let's take it step by step.

Where to look for a pharmacy

A pharmacy is called a vaistinė in Lithuanian. They are located at every turn: in shopping centers, near clinics, even in small towns.

• Most are open from morning to evening on weekdays.
• In large cities, there are on-call pharmacies (budinčios vaistinės) that are open late at night or even around the clock.
• Opening hours can be found on the websites of municipalities or simply by searching on Google: “budinti vaistinė + city”.

Over-the-counter and prescription drugs

Lithuania strictly controls the sale of medicines.

• You can buy painkillers, antipyretics, anti-allergies, cold remedies, and a few basic digestive medicines without a prescription.
• Antibiotics, hormonal drugs, strong painkillers, and medications for chronic diseases are available with a prescription.

You should not ask a pharmacist to “just give” you an antibiotic - even if you explain that you took them at home without a prescription, it does not work.

How to get a prescription

Prescriptions in Lithuania are mostly electronic. The doctor enters it into the e-sveikata system, and you show your passport or ID card at the pharmacy, and the pharmacist immediately sees your prescription in the database.

• Paper prescriptions are rarely issued, only in exceptional cases.
• If the medication is for long-term treatment, the doctor can issue a “repeat” prescription, so you can pick up the drug regularly without new visits.

Online ordering

In Lithuania, only OTC medicines are allowed to be sold online and only through registered pharmacies. You can check whether the website is legal in the state register on the website of the State Pharmaceutical Inspectorate.

For prescription drugs, only online pickup is possible (you book your medicines through the pharmacy's website but pick them up in person).

Ukrainian equivalents and how to find them

Don't be surprised: there may not be any familiar Ukrainian brands in Lithuania. But there are always analogs in terms of the active ingredient. This is what the doctor writes in the prescription.

Importing your own medicines

You can bring medicines with you for personal use. But there are rules:

• a small amount for personal use does not cause problems;
• if the medicines contain narcotic or psychotropic substances (strong painkillers, sedatives), the border may require a prescription or a doctor's certificate;
• you should not send medicines to Lithuania by mail, as they are often detained by customs officers.

Useful little things

• In large cities, pharmacists usually speak English, but it is better to have a photo of the packaging or write down the active ingredient.
• If the prescription has expired (usually valid for 7-30 days, depending on the drug), you will have to ask your doctor to write a new one.
• For children, pharmacists always specify age and weight, so take a certificate or remember the data.

How to avoid problems

The most common situation: you need a prescription, but you are not yet insured in Lithuania. In this case, the doctor can only accept payment.

In order not to spend hundreds of euros, it is easier to have a private policy that covers the consultation and medicines.

👉 Apply for insurance for Lithuania on Visit Ukraine - the policy is accepted in hospitals and private clinics, the document is sent immediately to your email.

Even if you are only here for a few days, it is important to know that in a critical situation, time and the right actions can save lives. In Lithuania, the emergency system works quickly and according to European standards - but the cost of services depends on your status.

How to call an ambulance

The number one number for any emergency is 112. This is a single European number: the dispatcher connects you to the right service - ambulance, police, or firefighters. If you need an ambulance directly, you can call 033, but 112 is the universal option.

Dispatchers answer in Lithuanian, often in English. If it is difficult to explain the symptoms, use simple words: “Ukraine, ambulance, help”. The most important thing is to clearly state the address and phone number where you are.

What happens after the call

An emergency medical team (greitoji medicinos pagalba) arrives. They stabilize the condition and decide whether hospitalization is necessary. If your life is in danger, you are taken to the nearest hospital.

In the emergency room, doctors provide immediate care and then figure out who will pay the bill: public insurance, private insurance, or the patient.

When help is free

• If you have temporary protection, emergency care is free for you, on a par with Lithuanians.
• If you are already registered in the PSD (due to work or other status), the full amount is covered by the state.
• If you are a child with temporary protection, the assistance is always free.
• In case of a life-threatening event (heart attack, stroke, road accident), everyone will be helped, even those without insurance.

When the bill is issued

• Tourists without insurance pay for everything on their own: an ambulance call can cost from 100-200 €, a day in a hospital - several hundred, and surgeries - several thousand.
• Students or those who are waiting for residence permits without a policy find themselves in the same situation.
• Even with insurance, you sometimes have to pay for additional comfort, such as a private room or some “optional” examinations.

What documents to bring with you

To avoid wasting time on formalities, always take

• passport or ID;
• a document on temporary protection (if available);
• public or private insurance card;
• a list of medications or a certificate of chronic illness (preferably in English or Lithuanian).

Little tips

• Save the number 112 in your phone - even if you panic, it is the same number for all emergencies.
• Learn a few phrases in Lithuanian: “Man bloga, reikia gydytojo” (I feel sick, I need a doctor).
• If you have a chronic illness, carry a certificate or extract from Ukraine. This will help doctors to find their way around faster.

Traveling or moving to a new country always causes anxiety: “What if I get sick?”, “Will I be admitted to a hospital without documents?”. In Lithuania, the medical system is clear and predictable - the main thing is to prepare in advance.

Documents to have at hand

The first thing a hospital or pharmacy will ask for is your documents. So always carry them with you:

• passport or ID card
• a certificate or card with an ECR code (issued to Ukrainians with temporary protection - it confirms the right to free necessary assistance)
• insurance policy - state (PSD) or private;
• for children - vaccination certificates, preferably translated into English.

Mobile applications and online services

In Lithuania, medicine is gradually moving online, so a smartphone is a real help here.

• e-sveikata is the main portal where prescriptions, referrals, and treatment history are stored. You can also book appointments there.
• Google Maps or Mapy.cz will help you quickly find the nearest pharmacy or emergency room.
• The app of your private insurance company (if you have it) - it usually has a round-the-clock hotline and a list of clinics.

Useful contacts

112 is a single number for all emergency services.

033 - direct ambulance (alternative to 112).

1588 - information line for foreigners in Lithuania.

Find pharmacies on duty in your city: search for “budinti vaistinė + city name”.

What to look for

• If you have a chronic illness, take with you a supply of medicines for the first time and a statement of diagnosis in English.
• In Lithuania, the rule “prescription is required” is clearly applied: do not expect to buy an antibiotic without it.
• Public hospitals have waiting lists, especially for specialists. If you need a quick appointment, it is better to go to a private clinic, but you will have to pay there.

How to prepare and avoid problems

There are two main “lifelines” that will make your trip go smoothly:

• Health insurance. Without it, even an ambulance call can cost hundreds of euros. The Visit Ukraine policy is accepted in hospitals and migration authorities and can be issued online in 5 minutes.
• Legal support. If a hospital issues an unreasonable bill or refuses to admit you, our lawyers will advise you on how to proceed and prepare an official appeal.