The health system in Bulgaria needs urgent measures to improve the remuneration of medical staff, experts said in the morning block of NOVA. General practitioner Dr. Gergana Nikolova and health economist Arkadi Sharkov outlined the serious challenges facing Bulgarian healthcare in the context of the ongoing protests of young doctors.
"We support the increase in the salaries of doctors, young specialists, residents, nurses, midwives and rehabilitators, everyone who works in the health system," emphasized Dr. Nikolova. She drew attention to the fact that many of the people who make decisions on these issues do not understand the tension and pressure under which medical specialists work.
Health economist Arkady Sharkov stressed the importance of avoiding confrontation between different groups of doctors when discussing salaries. According to him, the increase in remuneration is directly related to the current legislation and the cost of operating the system.
Sharkov revealed alarming data on the state of the National Health Insurance Fund. "At the moment, there is a deficit in hospital care in the NHIF, and one is expected for pharmaceutical products," the expert explained.
Dr. Nikolova made a sharp statement about the personal price paid by medical workers and their relatives. "A very large part of the people who make decisions on these issues are not aware of the pressure and tension under which the system operates. "They don't know we have families," she said.
The GP's statement reflects the ongoing crisis in healthcare, which has included mass protests by young doctors demanding fair pay and better working conditions. There have been numerous demonstrations across the country in recent months, and doctors' organizations have warned of a possible national strike.
The healthcare debate remains one of the hottest public issues in Bulgaria, with experts pushing for systemic solutions that address both the financial problems of the National Health Insurance Fund and the needs of medical staff.