EU Population Trends: Bulgaria Sees Largest Decrease
As of January 1, 2023, the European Union (EU) has a population of 448.8 million people. Germany is the most populous EU country, with 84.4 million residents (19% of the EU total),
An unusually high number of surgeries in the Bulgarian capital Sofia has depleted blood reserves, prompting officials to issue an urgent call for donors.
The most acute shortage is for blood type A and 0, the Health Ministry and the National Transfusion Centre alarmed in a joint statement.
The number of blood transfusions has risen sharply over the last few days due to large number of surgeries in Sofia and Western Bulgaria, as well as the treatment of people suffering from grave hematology illnesses.
Relatives and friends of people in need of blood transfusion are usually the only blood donors in today's Bulgaria.
Those who can not rely on relatives to donate the needed blood, fall an easy prey to the black market dealers.
Lingering around the National Transfusion Centre, groups of gypsies may look like any other Roma men who roam along the suburban streets of the capital, but their real purpose is trading blood for money.
The Roma charge from BGN 100 to BGN 400 for the priceless document that proves one of them has donated at least 450 ml of blood.
The black market for blood has recently seen some upgrade with the dealers starting to do business online, which only cemented their status as a staple, though stark, example of health care reminiscent more of a third world country than an EU member state.
It is only after the start of the transition period that Bulgarian hospitals became chronically short of blood for transfusion. Under the communist regime hospitals disposed of sufficient amounts of blood reserves as blood donation campaigns were obligatory.
The number of blood donors shrank dramatically since the fall of communism, leaving patients with yet another psychological obstacle to overcome beside the disease itself and the hospitals' insufficient capacity.
Data shows that Bulgaria lags far behind international standards for blood donation – 23-25 donors per 1,000 people against the required 50 donors per 1,000 people.
Poor economic conditions and low living standards top the list of reasons, together with the fact that blood donation costs time, some pain, and occasionally unpleasant consequences.
We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!
Stylists recommend that you pay attention to the acidity of hair cosmetics, since this indicator affects the product's effectiveness.
WHO/Europe report warns of lethal levels of salt consumption and uncontrolled high blood pressure
Pediatric heart surgeries in Bulgaria have been temporarily halted due to a critical shortage of nurses
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a warning regarding a new mutation of the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, known as the FLiRT variants
In response to the threat of a whooping cough epidemic, Bulgaria has enacted temporary anti-epidemic measures aimed at curbing the spread of the disease
Bulgaria has updated its immunization calendar, granting general practitioners the authority to administer whooping cough (pertussis) vaccines to newborns two weeks earlier than before, starting at six weeks after birth
Sofia Airport's Terminal 3 Construction Set to Begin in Early 2026
COVID-19 Impact: Bulgaria's Grim Milestone as Highest Death Rate in EU