The problem is not in the money for in vitro procedures, but in the regulatory framework. This was stated in the “Interview in NOVA News” by the Minister of Health, Dr. Galya Kondeva. She explained that there are currently funds for assisted reproduction, but there is a need for changes in the regulations of the Center and optimization of the activities that are paid for by the state.
“The budget of the Center for Assisted Reproduction is 22 million leva. At the end of October, we received a request for an additional 500,000 leva as a forecast for the implementation of the program by the end of the year. We allocated these funds from the Ministry of Health reserve. When the request for support for the draft decree came in November - we expressed our position that we support it in principle, but we drew attention to the fact that if the need arises by the end of the year - these 2 million leva must be provided to us. We received assurances from the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Finance that if the need arises - this money will be given to us. We also drew attention to the fact that we are also asking for the same 2 million leva for Budget 2025,” she commented on the question of why the money in Budget 2025 for in vitro procedures has been cut by 2 million leva, which is being redirected to farmers.
In her words after the urgent meeting with representatives of the “Iskam bebe” foundation and the leadership of the Center for Assisted Reproduction on Tuesday made it clear that “the initial financial problem from which we started, we came to the conclusion that the problem is not financial”. “At the moment, these funds, even if we provide them – will be in excess. Estimates show that as of December 16, the Center has paid for activities performed for 21.1 million leva. That is, we currently have 1.4 million leva, which are in the budget. We expect them to be paid in these remaining days until the end of the year, if they are invoiced by the medical institutions that provide these services. It is possible that we will even return part of this money to the central budget”, explained Kondeva.
”We made a decision from next year, together with doctors who perform in vitro procedures, experts from the Ministry of Health, representatives of the “Iskam bebe” foundation and the Center – to work out together the relevant medical criteria according to which funds will be allocated to families and donor programs and to change the Center's regulations. This will allow it to be supported by the state and the donor program after March next year,” explained the Minister of Health.
According to her, within three months, if the Center's regulations themselves are changed, the activities that are paid for by the state can be optimized. "After that, when we make the regulations themselves, the finances remain. But even within the framework of the current funding - this is possible to do earlier than the middle of the year. That is, as a regulatory framework, we can be ready within three months", she emphasized.