site.btaBulgarian Society of Forensic Medicine Head Says Country Needs 180 Specialists, Nearly Triple the Currently Working 65

Not more than 65 forensic medics currently operate in Bulgaria while the country needs some 180, Assoc. Prof. Alexander Apostolov said in an interview for BTA Thursday. Dr. Apostolov is the Chairman of the Bulgarian Society of Forensic Medicine and he was speaking in the wake of Wednesday's release of the draft forensic medicine medical standard for public discussion. On Monday, Health Minister Hristo Hinkov and Apostolov appeared before the Parliamentary Committee on Health to speak about the rules and procedures at the preparation of forensic medical examination, as well as the determination of the type of bodily injury. The hearing was occasioned by the case with the assaulted 18-year-old girl in Stara Zagora.

According to Apostolov, the proposed draft standard for forensic medicine should be refined further and some minor changes would result in what would be a not bad initial version of the medical standard.

Forensic medics do not have night duties in Sofia because [the Association] has unregulated relations with Sofia Interior Ministry Directorate, Apostolov pointed out. According to him, the Directorate has refused to pay for such duties. Another reason, he said, is that according to the law forensic medics are not entitled to overtime. Asked what a person in need of a forensic doctor at night should do, Apostolov recalled that examinations are carried out in daylight.

With sufficient staffing and those willing to specialize in forensic medicine, it would be possible to provide night duty for forensic examiners. With the current staffing and available doctors in the country, it is impossible to arrange because it would contravene all regulations concerning working hours and rest periods.

Not more than 65 forensic medics currently operate in Bulgaria while the country needs some 180, Apostolov said, deploring the fact that interest among young doctors to specialize in forensic medicine is almost nil. And even the few who want to do so want to be located in Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna, but the same cannot be said of Burgas or Pleven, nor of all the other smaller regional centres, where candidates have been in demand for years. The specialty is difficult and unattractive, Apostolov added, stating that forensic doctors are always under the threat of being condemned by the media and this cannot be a relaxed working environment.

The problem of delayed payments to forensic medics by the Interior Ministry is still an issue, said Apostolov.