„The fact is that since 1991, health problems have become more severe. It started with the transformation of hospitals into commercial companies and the creation of the Health Insurance Fund. There may have been good intentions then with these actions, but they degenerated. A model of the National Health Insurance Fund was chosen, the opposite of our demographic profile, and with that the co-payment by the patients for centuries has been set! Chains and private „hospitals“ are stealing profits from public funds, and public hospitals are left with unprofitable health services – underfunded clinical pathways, uninsured, patients from marginalized communities, neglected and severe cases. As a result – the health „barons“ became millionaires, public hospitals were left with huge debts and staffed. There is no equality between public and private health facilities. In recent years, the political forces that have run the system – BSP, NMSS, ,MRF, GERB, IMRO-BNM and others – have done nothing to change this situation.“
This is how the members of „Vazrazhdane“ expressed their position spread to the media. In it, they also point out that the Health Insurance Fund is not managed effectively, on the contrary – funds are systematically misappropriated. When established in 2001, the NHIF had a budget of BGN 628 million. In 2014, it was BGN 2.8 billion, which is almost a 5-fold increase.
In 2021 there will be BGN 5 billion BGN and 341 million – 8 and a half times increased budget of the NHIF since the beginning of its establishment. But “Vazrazhdane” asked if the quality of healthcare has increased eightfold, as would be the case with such a budget? BGN 5 billion and BGN 341 million set in the budget of the fund, but there is no money for emergency care, not even a medical helicopter, Bulgarians die in front of medical institutions. And the clinical pathways? Public and private hospitals misappropriate the Fund through them. Don’t those in power know that ?!
In their position „Vazrazhdane“ also pointed out:
“As they do not know about the lobbying subsidization of certain drugs by the NHIF, because they were „the only ones on the market“ that help the patient?! Thus, the pharmaceutical companies that offer them accumulate millions, pay where they should and ruin the competition.”
„The current ruling party allowed 5,000 doctors to leave Bulgaria in the last 10 years? And 1,000 nurses a year! And now they are shamelessly begging us not to burden the health system, because there were no doctors and nurses. Doctors and nurses who they drove away.“
„So far, Borissov has dismissed five health ministers. From Anna – Maria Borisova to the current Minister Prof. Kostadin Angelov.“
„The same one who constantly talks about the incoming vaccines that people would „voluntarily“ choose. Another psychological pressure on the Bulgarians, who no longer trust the government and see everything that comes from it as a threat.“
„The same one who dramatically stated: „Common sense says that we need to take new measures“. For me, the most important thing is the protection of life and I am ready to take any responsibility. Every life matters.”
„So if very life matters, what have you been doing since March? Does it matter what you did to prevent so many deaths from cancer, stroke, heart attack? What did you do to keep doctors and nurses in the country? Where is your plan to deal with the COVID crisis? What did you do so that there was no fear in people of obligatory death at COVID, but common sense to prevent it? What did you do to make the rest of the doctors, nurses, the jeeps work normally? Is the life of Borisov or Karakachanov and the common man equally important to you, since you claim that „every life matters.“
„The questions are almost rhetorical. That is why we will say from „Vazrazhdane“: Your efforts are late, and whatever you do, the result will be temporary, because for 11 years of governing the health of the people has not been a national priority for you. Highways are a good thing, but when ordinary cars travel on them, not just luxury SUVs.“
„If we – the members of “Vazrazhdane” had the opportunity to make management decisions to deal with the COVID crisis, we would at least do a few obvious things to soften the blow. Such as:
„Instead of SUVs. and luxury cars, we would buy an additional 40 ambulances so that health workers could provide specialized transport for those in need.“
We would organize emergency reception centers and infectious disease hospitals only for patients diagnosed or suspected of having COVID, so that the ambulances had a place to take the patients, where they would be diagnosed and treatment would begin immediately.
„We would develop an adequate system for collecting, processing and disseminating statistical information.“
„We would have been recruiting volunteers since March to train and prepare until the fall, instead of looking for them at the last minute.“
„We would provide blood plasma centers in all regional centers – BGN 60,000 for one device is not an unaffordable amount for the budget, we would provide them instead of collecting money for donations and giving one piece as alms, as GERB did in Pleven.“
„During the summer months, we would prepare the electronic referrals for AKP tests and organize a separate procedure for examinations, for obtaining referrals and for testing people with symptoms, so that they do not become infected in the corridors and in the queues.“
„We would adhere to scientifically based standards for declaring an epidemic. We would not pay for something not produced, not tested and not knowing what, such as a potential future vaccine. We would not offer and apply it en masse, but carefully, on a voluntary basis and with a system for collecting, systematizing and analyzing complete statistical information for possible side effects long-term effects.“
„The COVID situation will ever end. But the health system will remain and will need a careful but definite reorganization. And if our compatriots vote of confidence in us, the first work of the Revival will be to urgently repair the most important systems in the country – health, education, economy.“
„With regard to healthcare, the most important for us will be a revision of the value and reporting of „clinical pathways“, rethinking the requirements for medical institutions, ending the draining of the NHIF, abolishing its monopoly, equality of public and private health facilities, termination of lobbying in the healthcare system, opportunities and conditions for career development of our physicians so that they do not leave Bulgaria, the partnership with patient organizations.“
„This is a small part of the things we have thought about and can do with common efforts – of the professional community, patients, politicians, and voters.“
