Protests in Bulgaria’s Psychiatric Hospitals Over Low Pay and Rising Mental Health Cases Among Youth

Workers in psychiatric hospitals across Bulgaria are protesting due to the low salary increase offered to them, which they describe as "extremely humiliating." The protest, set to take place in front of the Ministry of Health building, stems from their dissatisfaction with the state budget, which failed to meet their request for a 50% salary increase. Instead, they will receive only a 5% increase. Workers in these facilities have raised concerns about the increasing number of young people suffering from mental health issues, particularly highlighting the rise in attempted suicides and violent incidents linked to new substances.

Ivan Dobrinov, head of the Sixth Men's Department at the Radnevo Psychiatric Hospital, emphasized that the situation is dire, with psychiatric departments overwhelmed with young patients suffering from severe psychoses resembling schizophrenia. According to Dobrinov, many of these young individuals are being admitted due to the effects of new drugs, and there is a notable lack of support and resources to manage their care. He also pointed out that there is a significant shortage of child psychiatrists in regions like Stara Zagora, and the state has failed to address these gaps in mental health care, especially for those under 18.

In response to these issues, psychiatric hospital workers across the country will gather today from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for a protest rally. Dr. Tsvetislava Galabova, director of the State Psychiatric Hospital "St. Ivan Rilski" in Novi Iskar, also expressed her frustration on social media, listing several demands from her colleagues, including the introduction of a unified system for evaluating the work of medical staff in these institutions. Currently, there are no clinical pathways, and the hospitals are entirely funded by the Ministry of Health. Additionally, they are demanding a 50% salary increase and recognition of their labor as second category work.