site.btaParliament Adopts National Health Strategy 2020

Parliament Adopts National Health Strategy 2020

Sofia, December 17 (BTA) - Bulgaria's Parliament Thursday adopted a National Health Strategy 2020, moved by the Council of Ministers. Of the 145 MPs who took part in the vote, 103 were in favour, 27 were against, and 15 abstained.

The parliamentary Healthcare Committee points out in its report that the Strategy defines the vision for development of healthcare in Bulgaria during the period ending in 2020. According to the document, health policy focuses on a sustainable improvement of the health of Bulgarian citizens of all age groups. The Strategy lists the following national health targets by 2020: lowering infant mortality rate (age 0-1) to 6.7 per 1,000 live births; lowering the death rate in the 10-19 age group to 0.28 per 1,000; lowering the death rate in the 20-65 age group to 4.19 per 1,000; increasing the average life expectancy at age 65 to 16.4 years.

The Strategy sets three priorities: creating conditions for lifelong health for all; development of a quality- and results-oriented fair, sustainable and effective health system; and strengthening the capacity of public healthcare.

BSP-Left Bulgaria said they will not support the Strategy. Emil Raynov MP explained that his parliamentary group disagrees with the ways in which the objectives of the Strategy are to be achieved. According to Floor Leader Mihail Mikov, the Strategy does not reflect the actual problems in this country, where nearly 50 per cent of people live at risk of poverty.

The Movement for Rights and Freedoms also opposed the Strategy. Tuncher Kurdjaliev MP said that for a year now they have been witnessing "chaotic ideas, some of which verging on the absurd." His parliamentary group does not support the Strategy because they disagree with the tools proposed for the attainment of its goals. "We disagree with the action plan and the financing plan," he added. 

Semir Abu Melih MP of GERB also expressed reservations about the Strategy. He described the document as "a poem with finances as the protagonist". "The patient himself must be at the centre of attention," the MP argued. He has counted 123 mentions of the word "patient" in the Strategy, compared to 117 mentions of "life", three mentions of "nurses", 32 mentions of "doctors", and 230 mentions of "money" and "financing". Abu Melih said that the need of extra financing is the principal problem of Bulgarian healthcare.