site.btaEtropole Municipality Presents In-Depth 10-Year Analysis on Health, Demographic Profile of Its Residents

An analysis on the health and demographic profile of the population of Etropole Municipality for the 2015-2024 period was presented here Wednesday. The event brought together representatives of local authorities, municipal councilors, heads of medical institutions, business representatives and residents. A similar study was conducted in the municipalities of Zlatitsa and Pirdop between 2014 and 2015. However, no similar analysis has been conducted since then.

The analysis was funded by Etropole Municipality and prepared by Dr. Dimitar Petrov, former director of the National Health Insurance Fund and a long-time expert and advisor to the Bulgarian Medical Union. It is based on data from the National Health Insurance Fund, the National Statistical Institute, the National Centre for Public Health and Analyses and the Regional Health Inspectorate in Sofia Region.

The study compares data for Etropole with seven similar municipalities, with the demographic part showing that the birth rate in Etropole over the last decade has remained at relatively stable levels, while the mortality rate has slightly increased, which is related to the aging of the population, Petrov explained. “During the pandemic years, mortality rates increased sharply, peaking in 2021, but in 2024 the indicators returned almost to the 2019 levels,” he said, adding that Etropole is among the few municipalities in Bulgaria that have seen a slight increase in average life expectancy after the pandemic.

In terms of diseases, the analysis reports an increase in the number of patients with chronic diseases, such as hypertension, ischemic heart disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. “This is not necessarily a negative trend, but evidence of better prevention and a higher coverage of patients by general practitioners,” Petrov specified. He noted that municipalities with hospitals and more specialists, such as Etropole and Pirdop, register higher levels of reported diseases, which is due to better access to medical care, and not due to an actual worse health condition.

“The data shows that Etropole is approaching the average levels for Sofia Region in most health and demographic indicators, which is a positive sign for the development of the region,” Petrov concluded. He pointed out that preparing such an analysis at the local level is a challenge, since health and demographic data are usually collected at the level of medical institutions, and not by municipality. "However, thanks to the information collected and the application of meta-analyses, we were able to reach reliable and representative results," he further said.

"To date, no other municipality in Sofia Region, and perhaps in the country, has conducted such an in-depth health analysis,” said Etropole Mayor Vladimir Aleksandrov. He stressed that the municipal administration will continue their efforts in the direction of prophylaxis and prevention. "Over the past two years, we have implemented numerous screening campaigns, such as for orthopedic and spinal problems in children, dental examinations, cardiovascular system examinations and eye examinations. We are about to organize new campaigns together with specialists from Pirogov Hospital, which will cover both the elderly and the children", Aleksandrov noted.

He added that the Municipality will also continue to work on reproductive health programmes, planning to expand partnerships with medical centres and specialists from the country. “Prevention saves time, money and suffering. It saves lives. Our goal is to build a sustainable model of public healthcare, based on awareness, accessibility and prophylaxis,” he pointed out, adding that the Municipality will update the analysis with new data for 2025-2026 in order to track the development of the indicators and the effect of the measures taken.