Health Minister Hristo Hinkov described the truth about psychiatric care in Bulgaria as „very painful“. During the round table „Current problems of inpatient psychiatric care“, he pointed out that the problem in question is very serious and has been described in several reports of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture. An example of this is the 29-year-old man who burned alive in a hospital in Lovech, where the director was fired.
Deinstitutionalization is necessary, the minister believes. There are currently 12 mental health centers across the country, with one such center representing acute and outpatient work.
There is a risk that the measure under the National Plan for the establishment of outpatient clinics will not be implemented, the minister predicted. He believes the problem lies in the fact that there is no one to work in them and revealed that he has proposed that funds be diverted by opening 12 more like the existing centres.
During the event, spokesperson of the Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office, Desislava Petrova – Deputy City Prosecutor, stated that an inspection of the state prosecution did not find violence against patients admitted for psychiatric treatment, as well as a life-threatening situation. There are also no evidence of any violations of the regime for physical restraint of those accommodated there. This is shown by data from an inspection ordered by the Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office, which began after numerous violations in psychiatric care facilities.
Deputy City Prosecutor Petrova announced that 8 medical institutions had been inspected and no evidence of crime or misconduct had been found.
There is a critically low number of psychiatric beds available in the capital, including emergency ones. In order to reach the average level in Sofia, twice as many beds are needed, according to the report.
According to Sofia City Prosecutor Iliyana Kirilova, the problems of the mentally ill have been neglected for years. She wants to change the text of the Health Act, which excludes health pathways in relation to psychiatric care. She hopes that the changes will not take away the right of the Prosecutor’s Office to inspect prisons and those involuntarily committed for treatment.
