Pediatric heart surgeries in Bulgaria have been temporarily halted due to a critical shortage of nurses, announced Prof. Anna Kaneva, head of the Children's Cardiology Clinic at the National Cardiology Hospital on bTV. The suspension is a result of the significant lack of specialists needed to provide care for children requiring heart surgery, with eight nurses missing from the pediatric intensive care unit. This shortage has resulted in nurses having to work additional shifts, often up to 100 extra hours, making it impossible to sustain such demanding schedules.

Prof. Kaneva highlighted the challenges faced by nurses, who sometimes work 24-hour shifts, emphasizing that the suspension of surgeries is a temporary measure to address the ongoing nursing shortage issue dating back to 2017. Despite efforts to train nurses in pediatric intensive care, the retention rate remains low, primarily due to family-related reasons.

Neli Yordanova, a mother whose child has been waiting for surgery for a month, expressed concerns about the potential permanent suspension of operations. She emphasized the risks faced by children, as the National Cardiology Hospital is the sole facility in Bulgaria equipped to perform pediatric heart surgeries. Katya Trifonova shared her family's experience of waiting for her son's surgery, describing the emotional toll it takes on families and the relief when surgeries are finally performed.

While expressing gratitude to medical staff for their dedication, Trifonova urged authorities to take concrete measures to address the nursing shortage and ensure timely surgeries for all children in need. She emphasized the responsibility of hospital management in addressing operational challenges within the unit.