Every third nurse is at retirement age and every fourth midwife as well. This means that when these colleagues leave the system tomorrow, it will collapse.
This warned in the studio of "The day begins" on BNT Milka Vasileva, president of the Bulgarian Association of Health Care Professionals.
She commented on the initiative to increase the number of qualified nurses and midwives by a minimum of 30% by 2030. This is foreseen by the decision of the Parliament from last week, which assigns the Minister of Health within 60 days to propose a strategy with the necessary measures for discussion in the National Assembly.
"All this sounds good, as the beginning of a debate that should solve the problem of the severe personnel crisis in Bulgarian healthcare. It's not just nurses that are missing, there's a shortage of all kinds of healthcare personnel. This is a 30-year history of not making adequate political decisions, and that is why we have reached this point. According to Bulgarian standards, there is a ratio of one doctor to two nurses, but this does not happen. Currently, one nurse cares for no less than 30 people. She cannot fully fulfill her professional duties due to lack of physical time," said the chairman of the Bulgarian Association of Healthcare Professionals
According to her, there are no people willing to study exactly these specialties.
"Opportunities are there, they are provided. The number of places for healthcare professionals is increasing, with an expected 1000 by 2024-2025. This is good, but it is woefully inadequate. But we know that the population is aging, there are not enough young people, there are schools that offer different, more attractive professions than that of a nurse", Milka Vasileva also said.