site.btaStaff Shortages, Stress, Ageing Nursing Workforce among Key Challenges in Bulgaria’s Healthcare System
Experts at a roundtable organized by the Association of Health Care Professionals Bulgaria (AHCPBG) Wednesday agreed that this country’s healthcare system is facing serious challenges, including a growing staff shortage, high stress levels among workers, and an ageing nursing workforce.
The roundtable on the problems of healthcare in Bulgaria, held in Sofia just days ahead of International Nurses Day on May 12, brought together healthcare professionals and representatives from patient organizations and higher education institutions, among others.
Petya Nedkova, chairperson of the AHCPBG National Council on Quality, presented data, according to which in 2015, Bulgaria had 30,903 nurses. By 2024, that number had dropped by 30% to just 21,984. Bulgaria has only 314 nurses per 100,000 people, far below the European Union average of 786 per 100,000, she added.
The average age of nurses was 48 in 2015, and in 2024 it was 49, Nedkova said. In Bulgaria, 20% of the nursing workforce is already of retirement age, compared to just 4% in other EU Member States, she noted.
/RY/
Additional
news.modal.image.header
news.modal.image.text
news.modal.download.header
news.modal.download.text
news.modal.header
news.modal.text