Measles Risk Rises in Bulgaria as Vaccination Rate Drops Below 82%, Minister Warns

Bulgaria is not currently facing a measles outbreak, but declining vaccination coverage is raising concerns about a potential epidemic, Acting Health Minister Assoc. Prof. Mihail Okoliyski said in an interview with BNT. A total of 101 cases have already been confirmed across five regions, while immunization rates among 12-year-olds have dropped to below 82%.

“There are also fictitious vaccinations, but what is more worrying is that vaccination coverage among 12-year-olds has fallen below 82%. This creates a risk of an epidemic,” Okoliyski warned, urging parents to recognize “how important it is to vaccinate our children.”

The minister also addressed calls from the Bulgarian Medical Association for a 25% increase in the prices of medical services, stating that such a step is justified and could be implemented with the adoption of a new budget. “We support this request… prices are increasing - medical devices, all activities in the healthcare sector are increasing and at the first convenient moment it must be updated,” he said.

He pointed to serious imbalances in funding across clinical pathways, highlighting palliative care and psychiatry as the most neglected areas. According to him, psychiatric care remains in particularly dire condition, with the hospital in Lovech operating on what he described as an outdated budget that leaves no room for modernization. Despite years of proposals, there are currently “zero” clinical pathways in psychiatry, he noted, calling the situation critical and interest in the field extremely low.

Okoliyski also revealed that several public procurement procedures have been halted, including projects in oncology and mosquito control. He criticized delays in seasonal spraying, saying it should have taken place earlier in the year when larvae are most vulnerable, and suggested flaws in how tenders are structured. When asked about suspicions of inflated costs and favored companies, he responded cautiously: “You said it, I am trying to be diplomatic,” adding that efforts are underway to relaunch the procedures.

Delays are also affecting key infrastructure projects. The minister warned that Bulgaria risks losing funding under the Recovery and Resilience Plan due to setbacks in building medical helicopter bases. “Not a single brick has been laid yet,” he said, noting that five sites are still awaiting construction permits.

Regarding the planned National Children’s Hospital, expected by 2030, Okoliyski acknowledged unresolved issues with the selected site. “There are problems with the plot… it does not allow… the development of a helipad below the terrain and it must definitely be on the roof of the hospital,” he explained.

He also noted progress in monitoring hospital-acquired infections, announcing that a dedicated register has already been introduced to improve transparency and oversight in the healthcare system.