As World Emergency Day approaches, Bulgaria’s emergency medical services (EMS) are facing a critical shortage of personnel.
Despite offering competitive salaries of BGN 4,000 for ambulance doctors, the system remains short by 500 doctors, with more than half of the positions unfilled.
The Union of Paramedics in Bulgaria highlights the urgent need for reform. Many European Union countries have already transitioned to a system where paramedics handle most emergency cases, reserving doctors for highly specialized situations.
This approach has proven effective, reducing accident mortality by over 70% in those countries.
Paramedics, while not a replacement for doctors, possess specialized training to stabilize patients, maintain vital signs, and ensure safe transport to medical facilities where doctors can then take over.
This model, however, has not been fully implemented in Bulgaria due to regulatory and administrative inertia. The lack of legal recognition for paramedics in emergency centers is causing significant delays in response times, often missing the crucial “golden hour” in severe emergencies.
Efforts by the Union of Paramedics to push for reform have been slow despite a year of persistent advocacy. Meetings, committee participations, and working group contributions have yielded little progress.
Paramedics are often hired for unrelated positions within emergency centers, leading many to seek opportunities abroad or in other sectors, such as sports events, film productions, and children’s camps.
An analysis by the Union of Paramedics of the 27 Emergency Centers across Bulgaria reveals a desperate need for medical staff.
Each center is in need of at least 10 doctors, with regions like Vratsa and Silistra experiencing up to 60% vacancy rates. The Ministry of Health has stated that it is the responsibility of each center’s director to address these staffing issues, although some centers have included plans to hire paramedics.
Positive practices are seen in cities like Sofia, Plovdiv, and Burgas, but other areas remain critically understaffed.
Additionally, the lack of a standardized, mandatory one-year emergency training program for all EMS personnel is compromising the quality of care.
Different from the EU, where such training is a prerequisite, Bulgarian emergency departments often employ doctors without relevant emergency care experience due to the staffing crisis.
On this World Emergency Day, it is crucial to recognize the dedication of those working in the EMS, as well as to acknowledge the systemic flaws that endanger lives.
The Union of Paramedics emphasizes the need for immediate action to integrate paramedics into the emergency response system formally.
In a bid to foster learning and improve emergency response strategies, the Union of Paramedics will participate in the Southeast European Emergency and Disaster Medicine Congress (SEEMDC) from May 29 to June 1 in Romania.
This event represents an invaluable opportunity for Bulgarian EMS professionals to gain insights and exchange experiences with their regional counterparts.
To mark World Emergency Day, the Union of Paramedics is organizing a first aid demonstration and a presentation on the paramedic profession at PMG “Konstantin Velichkov” in Pazardzhik.
This event, scheduled for 10 AM, is spearheaded by Tsvyatko Ludzhev, a military paramedic and mayor of Ivaylo village, with support from the Pazardzhik Municipality.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members