Hospitals report major shortages of doctors and nurses

73% of hospitals in the country say they are short of doctors, and 90% - of nurses. This is indicated by a Hospital Index nationwide survey on staff capacity in healthcare. Unless urgent steps are taken quickly, in the next 5 years there will have to be a forcible restructuring and self-closure of a great many of the medical establishments, most health managers say. At the moment, 60% of doctors are over the age of 50, and almost 30% - 61 to 70 years of age.

“If this tendency holds, then in 10 years’ time, 54% of all doctors will be of retirement age,” says Ivan Madjarov, chairman of the Bulgarian Medical Association. /BGNES