site.btaHealthcare Specialists to Stage Protest in Sofia

Sofia, May 8 (BTA) - On International Nurses Day, May 12, healthcare specialists will stage a protest in Sofia, the Bulgarian Association of Healthcare Specialists (BAHS) said Tuesday. They will protest against the shortage of cadres, the lack of working young specialists in the healthcare system, the low salaries, the insufficient opportunities for continuing education and career development.

To participate in the protest are nurses, midwives, doctor's assistants, medical and X-ray laboratory assistants, and rehabilitation therapists.

Around 25,000 nurses and 4,000 midwives currently work in Bulgaria, while the healthcare system needs another 30,000 nurses and 4,000 midwives, the BAHS said. There is less than one nurse per doctor at present. The average age of nurses is 53 and of midwives, 51.

The salary of senior nurses is 720 leva and of regular nurses, midwives, laboratory assistants, rehabilitation therapists, dental technicians, and other healthcare specialists, 700 leva.

The protest declaration addressed to the parliamentary Healthcare Committee Chair, the Prime Minister and the Health Minister lists five main demands: a political agreement on the development of healthcare in Bulgaria and the elaboration of a national strategy and action plan for the period until 2021; a change in the model of funding of the healthcare system aimed at fair assessment of a healthcare specialist's work; a starting salary amounting to three minimum wages as well as compulsory compliance with the collective bargaining agreement aimed at achieving differentiated payment for healthcare specialists' work, in accordance with the qualification obtained; a clear vision for career development and compulsory participation of the State and employers in career development and continuing education; and the adoption of standards with a clear regulation for the necessary number of nurses, midwives, doctor's assistants, rehabilitation therapists, medical and X-ray laboratory assistants compared to the number of patients at hospitals, consulting rooms, labs, homes for medical and social care, children in creches, kindergartens and schools, and other structures.