According to a report released by the country’s Council for Economic Analyses (CEA) in Sofia on Wednesday, Bulgaria is facing a significant shortage of healthcare professionals.
The report revealed that there is a shortage of over 1,000 general practitioners (GPs) in the whole country, which is approximately a quarter of the total number of GPs registered in 2021.
When it comes to psychiatrists, the staffing gap is over 460, which is over 70 percent of the total number in 2021.
The National Statistical Institute stated that there are currently 3,854 GPs and 656 psychiatrists active in the country.
In terms of nurses, the CEA report indicated that their current number is around 16,900, which is approximately 60 percent of their total number in 2021.
In 1990, there were 53,800 registered and active nurses in the country, a number that dropped to 28,800 in 2021.
The government faces a huge challenge in overcoming these shortages. The report proposed measures to address the issue, including prioritizing the training of medical professionals, especially nurses, keeping them in Bulgaria, attracting back Bulgarian professionals working abroad, and significantly improving working conditions and career development opportunities.
