Chronic Kidney Disease Officially Recognized in Bulgaria

Kristina Ivanova, Desislava Peeva

From left: Dr. Nikolay Branzalov, Hristina Nikolova, Prof. Boris Bogov, Assoc. Prof. Lyubomir Kirov giving a news conference on CKD recognition in Bulgaria, Sofia, March 18, 2026 (BTA Photo/Nikola Uzunov)

Sofia,

18.03.2026 14:00

(BTA)

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is now officially recognized in Bulgaria. This was reported during a news conference to present the results of years of efforts by the medical community and patient organizations to improve the diagnosis and management of chronic kidney disease.

Hristina Nikolova, Chair of Association of Patients with Kidney Disease, Prof. Boris Bogov, Chair of the Bulgarian Nephrological Association, Assoc. Prof. Lyubomir Kirov, Chair of the National Association of General Practitioners in Bulgaria, and Dr. Nikolay Branzalov, Chair of the Bulgarian Medical Association, spoke to journalists in Sofia on Wednesday.

Chronic kidney disease is a long-term, progressive condition, and in recent years there has been a CKD pandemic, Prof. Bogov said. Many significant diseases are linked to kidney disease, such as diabetes, hypertension, etc. In Europe, about 9% of people are affected by CKD, while in Bulgaria the number reaches 13–14%, he added.

The official recognition of CKD means creation of a classification that will allow doctors to accurately diagnose the various stages of the disease, Nikolova said. The purpose of the recognition is to ensure that patients are diagnosed early, and the appropriate treatment is started on time. Until now patients were only monitored in the late stages of CKD, but now those who do not require dialysis will be able to work, which will save budget costs, she added.

Dr. Branzalov said that the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) is to be specified, and that without a regular state budget, the new classification codes cannot be incorporated into the National Framework Agreement.

In June 2025, doctors and patients urged for administrative changes in diagnosis and monitoring of chronic kidney disease patients. In December 2025, another patient association insisted on regulatory changes to ensure more specialists available in the country.

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