Inside Bulgaria's Easter Celebrations: Traditions Passed Through Generations
Today marks the joyous celebration of Easter, one of the most significant holidays in the Orthodox Christian calendar.
Bulgaria's healthcare is four spots (30th) before the last one in Europe in the 2013 ranking of the Euro Health Consumer Index (EHCI).
Bulgaria has collected 528 points out of the maximum 1 000, but has moved up from its 33rd position in 2012, when it had 456 points.
After Bulgaria, Poland, Latvia, Romania and Serbia are at the bottom of the ranking.
Dr Arne Bjornberg, Chairman of the Health Consumer Powerhouse (HCP) and author of the report, says the Bulgarian healthcare system reflects the overall grim reality in the country, explaining that there was some positive development regarding access to treatment and reduced waiting time, but medical results have worsened even further.
He further stresses the situation in Bulgaria, Romania, and Serbia is alarming.
The Index champion is again the Netherlands, gaining 870 points. The Dutch are followed by Switzerland, Iceland, Denmark and Norway.
The financial crisis has led to increasing inequity in healthcare services across Europe, is one of the key findings of the 2013 EHCI, presented in Brussels by the Health Consumer Powerhouse.
The results show that there is now a 'two speed' delivery of healthcare, depending on the consumers' country. The quality of care that consumers can expect is discernibly higher in richer countries than in poorer. In addition, the gap is widening.
Bjornberg also said: "Healthcare decision makers are concerned by the impact of the economic crisis. Today's report demonstrates they are right to have these concerns. Our 2013 ranking indicates that wealthier countries are clustered towards the top of the Index, and this is more marked than in previous years."
For the first time since EHCI was launched in 2005, there is now a clear gap in healthcare provision between the affluent, financially strong parts of Europe and the less affluent, crisis-struck countries.
Although treatment results such as cancer and infant survival keep improving all over Europe, there are almost no medium-income countries in the top half of the Index in 2013.
The Euro Health Consumer Index (EHCI) 2013 is the seventh study made on European healthcare systems. The Index takes a consumer and patient perspective. EHCI, like the 16 other Health Consumer Powerhouse Indexes, offers reality checks for policy makers, empowerment to patients and consumers and an opportunity for stakeholders to highlight weak and strong aspects of healthcare.
The study ranks 34 national European health care systems on 42 indicators, covering five areas that are key to the health consumer: Patients' rights and information, Accessibility of treatment (waiting times), Medical outcomes, Range and reach of services provided and Pharmaceuticals.
The Index is compiled from a combination of public statistics, patient polls and independent research conducted by HCP.
We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!
Caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev ordered the cancellation of the Council of Ministers' decision to establish the private Mom and Me Multiprofile Hospital for Active Treatment in Sofia, the government press service said on Saturday.
Bulgaria is set to establish its emergency air assistance service by the end of May, marking a significant step forward in the country's healthcare infrastructure
New data from the World Health Organization (WHO) underscores concerns over the global surge in antibiotic usage during the Covid-19 pandemic, potentially exacerbating the silent threat of antimicrobial resistance.
The Ministry of Health in Bulgaria has announced a significant initiative to provide free whooping cough vaccines to all pregnant women between 27 to 36 weeks of gestation
A recent UN report on the health behaviors of school-age children has unveiled concerning trends regarding alcohol and cigarette consumption among Bulgarian students, sparking widespread concern
In a recent announcement that's bound to catch attention, Bulgaria's Chief State Health Inspector, Assoc. Angel Kunchev, declared that the country will not be declaring an emergency epidemic situation due to the spread of whooping cough
UN Happiness Report: Bulgaria's Astonishing Leap in Rankings
Bulgaria: 3 Regions With Lowest Life Expectancy - EU Report 2022