Bulgarian emergency medics threaten protest over healthcare reform

Emergency medical professionals in Bulgaria are threatening industrial action in response to the Ministry of Health's plan to establish a National Center for Emergency Medical Care. The National Association of Emergency Medical Care Workers (NARMP) has demanded that the Ministry immediately publish the reform project and engage in meaningful consultations with frontline staff.

Dr. Desislava Katelieva, chair of NARMP, expressed concerns in an open letter to Health Minister Katya Ivkova, warning that the proposed administrative reorganization could lead to a total system collapse. Medical professionals report working under extreme pressure, with some staff performing over 250 hours of duty per month. The association argues that the centralization of 27 regional administrations into a single structure will increase bureaucratic pressure and fail to address critical issues such as staff shortages, low wages, and workplace aggression.

Concerns have also been raised regarding the coordination of emergency responses during large-scale disasters and how a centralized body would manage hundreds of mobile teams across the country. The medical community warns that without addressing the underlying human resource crisis, the reform risks causing mass resignations and leaving thousands of citizens without adequate emergency care.