Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria: A total of 600,000 Bulgarians have no GPs

“A total of 600,000 Bulgarians have no access to a GP and more than 1.9 mln people are without health insurance,” said Vice President of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB), Dr. Ivan Kokalov, at a roundtable on “The Role of the State in Bulgarian Healthcare”, held in the capital yesterday. He was clear that the healthcare system was serving the fiscal needs of the State instead of taking care of the patients’ health.

"It was established that the needs of the healthcare system cannot be met effectively by applying market principles alone. In Bulgaria, the share of public funding in total health expenditures is 57%," said Kokalov. He pointed out other EU countries which could serve as a positive example. According to his data, in Poland and Hungary, the State is paying some 71% of all funds allocated for healthcare. In France and Germany, the respective rate is 77-79%, in Romania it reaches 80%. CITUB Vice President said that monthly health insurance contributions for workers average BGN 53 per person and for employees insured by the State the respective figure is BGN 19. Kokalov warned that a total of 46 municipal hospitals are nearly bankrupt because their funding has been reduced by 38 - 40%. He said that municipal hospitals, which service one-third of the population, receive just 10% of the funds of the National Health Insurance Fund.

Kokalov added further that there are huge problems regarding the supply of medicines since the Ministry of Health has transferred its responsibility for the tenders for the supply of expensive drugs to hospitals.

"All this has led to a drain from the medical profession and emigration,” said Kokalov. He was clear that the state must intervene in order for the needs of this sector to be taken care of.

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