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Bulgarian healthcare faced with shortage of 17,000 nurses

published on 5/12/24 12:45 PM

Photo: Archive

The Bulgarian Association of Health Care Professionals insists that the Bulgarian state should set a minimum number of nurses in each health care facility to ensure quality care for patients. The same proposal applies to midwives, rehabilitation workers, laboratory technicians and other specialists.

According to a report by the Council for Economic Analysis of the Council of Ministers, there is a shortage of about 17 thousand nurses in Bulgaria, or 60% of the workforce in 2021. Thus, there is less than one nurse per doctor. However, if the normal ratio of 2:1 is to be reached, 29 thousand professionals need to enter the healthcare system.

Figures from the same year show that 540 students graduate as nurses annually, while those leaving the jobs as nurses number 890.

On International Nursing Day, the association is proposing that salaries be increased in line with the knowledge, skills and responsibilities in nursing teams to address the staffing crisis.

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Radio Bulgaria News healthcare healthcare system nurses nurses in Bulgaria

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