The emergency room in Dupnitsa, where people found medical help for non-life-threatening situations, at night and on weekends, has been closed. The reason is the lack of doctors willing to be on duty, the low salary and the lack of specialized specialists, BNT reported.
From December 1, all patients in Dupnitsa whose personal doctors are not at work will have to travel 40 km to the emergency room in Blagoevgrad in case of a health problem.
"Can the city remain without emergency care... for the most basic things we have to go to other cities, this is not normal in the 21st century", said Magdalena.
"An emergency room all the way in Blagoevgrad, this is absurd", a citizen is outraged.
"Travel, expenses, funds, time and he doesn't respond at all, our city is big, why shouldn't we have this convenience", explained Maria.
"If he doesn't have a car, he has to catch taxi, but if he doesn't have money, how will he get there", explained a citizen.
Until now, the emergency room in Dupnitsa has been operating within a private hospital in the city. The medical facility claims that they were forced to close it due to the lack of doctors willing to work there. By law, the room concludes a contract with the city's GPs, who pay 27 stotinki per month for each patient on their list. This way, people can use the services of the room at night and on days when their personal doctors are off. However, since the beginning of the month, all contracts with personal doctors in Dupnitsa have been terminated.
Under a framework contract for emergencies, personal doctors can themselves remain available 24 hours a day or sign a contract with an emergency room. Most of the GPs have signed a contract with the emergency room at the polyclinic in Blagoevgrad.
The municipal hospital in Dupnitsa is looking for a solution to the problem and has already started the procedure for registering an emergency room with them. However, when will it be able to operate? - it is unclear. Until then, patients who are unable to travel to Blagoevgrad will be able to use the existing emergency room in Dupnitsa, but for a fee - 40 leva per examination, as is the regulation of the health insurance fund.