site.btaPopulation Remains Unhealthy Despite Rising Healthcare Spending, Health Minister Says

The population remains unhealthy despite a significant increase in healthcare spending over the past five years, Health Minister Katya Ivkova told journalists on Friday.

Presenting data for the 2021-2025 period, Ivkova said spending on hospital care increased by from BGN 2.6 billion in 2021 to BGN 4.4 billion in 2025. Expenditure on outpatient care rose by from BGN 947 million to BGN 2.3 billion over the same period. 

Spending on medicines and medical devices increased from BGN 1.5 billion in 2021 to BGN 2.5 billion in 2025, a rise of about 66%, she added. 

According to the minister, more than 1.2 million hospitalizations have been recorded since the beginning of 2026, including 635,745 emergency admissions. The average hospital stay is four days, while the average occupancy rate of hospital beds nationwide stands at 55%.

Ivkova also presented data on the revenues, expenditures and liabilities of a number of state-owned hospitals, as well as the remuneration of their directors. She said personnel costs account for about 48% of expenditure in both state-owned and municipal hospitals. The total liabilities of municipal hospitals amount to BGN 120 million, including nearly BGN 9 million in overdue obligations.