Healthcare Crisis Looms: One-Third of Bulgarian Nurses at Retirement Age, System at Risk

Milka Vasileva, president of the Bulgarian Association of Health Care Professionals, has raised alarm over the state of the healthcare system, revealing that a third of nurses and a quarter of midwives are of retirement age. She warned that the departure of these seasoned professionals could lead to a collapse of the system. Vasileva spoke on BNT, discussing the recent parliamentary decision to increase the number of qualified nurses and midwives by at least 30% by 2030. This initiative mandates the Minister of Health to propose a strategy within 60 days for consideration by the National Assembly.

Vasileva described the initiative as a promising start to addressing the severe staffing crisis in Bulgarian healthcare. She pointed out that the shortage extends beyond nurses to all healthcare personnel, attributing the crisis to a long history of inadequate political decisions. Currently, the ratio of nurses to patients is far from ideal, with one nurse often responsible for up to 30 patients, which hampers their ability to provide professional care.

She also noted that there is a lack of interest in pursuing careers as nurses, despite increasing opportunities in the field. Although the number of training places for healthcare professionals is set to rise, with 1,000 spots expected by 2024-2025, it remains insufficient. Vasileva emphasized that the aging population and the prevalence of more attractive career options are contributing to the shortage of young people entering the nursing profession.

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