site.btaBulgaria Prepared for Current Coronavirus Wave, According to Participants in Working Meeting with PM

March 29 (BTA) - A working meeting was held here on Monday with Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, attended by Health Minister Kostadin Angelov and members of the national coronavirus task force, the government's information service said. The participants in the meeting reported that this country's health care system has all the necessary medicines, disinfection supplies and oxygen for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Borissov said at the meeting that "Bulgaria is prepared to handle the current coronavirus wave". The PM noted that doctors and health care workers had been the first to be vaccinated "so that we have an army to rise to the challenge and treat people".

Borissov said that the necessary finances have been provided for handling the coronavirus situation until May.

"The next government and Parliament [after the April 4 parliamentary elections] are to decide how to continue with the coronavirus financing in the future. This is what democracy is like," Borissov said.

The PM said that more than 10,000 vials of remdesivir are expected to arrive in Bulgaria by the end of the week.

Health Minister Angelov said that the number of covid hospital admissions is higher than in the previous peak but that the system can withstand this, thanks to the work on prior preparation and the additional quantities of ventilators, oxygen concentrators and hospital oxygen supply systems. "We are not worried in respect of the increased demand for hospital care," Angelov said.

The Health Minister went on to say that he expects vaccinated people to reach 500,000 by the end of the week.

Chief State Health Inspector Angel Kounchev said that "if the current figures in Bulgaria are not exceeded, an overwhelming wave that could bring the health care system down on its knees will be avoided".

National coronavirus task force chief and head of the Military Medical Academy Ventsislav Moutafchiiski said that hospitals continue to cope well, and to provide new beds to admit all new cases. Moutafchiiski recalled that a so-called "green lane" for vaccinations is available in the Military Medical Academy.

Bulgarian Drug Agency Executive Director Bogdan Kirilov provided up-to-date and detailed breakdown on the quantities of vaccines expected in Bulgaria in April. RI/ZH


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