Underpaid Medics 'Abandon' Varna Blood Transfusion Center

38 doctors and nurses from the Regional Blood Transfusion Center in Bulgaria's Black Sea capital Varna are quitting because of low salaries and poor work conditions. Photo by BGNES

A total of thirty eight doctors and nurses from the Regional Blood Transfusion Center in Bulgaria's Black Sea capital Varna are quitting because of low salaries and poor work conditions.

Dr. Margarita Tochkova told the Bulgarian National Radio, BNR, Monday that so far their efforts to negotiate fulfillment of the requests of the protesting staff have failed and the increase of salaries of medics, promised for November, would not have a positive effect on the wages of those working at the Varna blood transfusion center.

She was adamant that if a solution is not found within a month, when the resignations would become effective, this would block not only the center in Varna, but those in the entire northeastern Bulgaria since there wouldn't be any blood deliveries to them.

"To do this line of work, one needs extensive education and knowledge. No one has paid any attention to us. We want at least to have a meeting," Tochkova stressed.

In mid-October, all six doctors and half of the nurses and lab staff at the Regional Blood Transfusion Center in Bulgaria's Stara Zagora quit because of low salaries.

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