Bulgaria: Urgent measures are taken after a case with a 33-year-old man who died while waiting for medical help in Sofia.

27 cars are provided by the system of the Ministry of Interior, which will be available to the emergency ambulance service in Sofia. A driver will be provided for each of them, as well as a second person trained in first aid. This was announced on BNR by the Minister of Health Kostadin Angelov.

The Minister will also hold talks to the owners of private ambulances so that they can join.

Due to the many signals lately, it happens that emergency medics are often late, and sometimes this could be fatal.

Only for the weekend emergency calls received in the Emergency Medical Help in Sofia were over 1500. Around 300 of them are for persons with suspicions of COVID-19 or a proven one. The emergency teams, which were on duty are between 17 and 20. Just last week spokerperson for Emergency Medical Help Centre in Sofia said that they are on the verge of collapse lacking people and equipment.

Owners of private ambulances announced days ago that they could help. At the moment, it is difficult for them to get involved in the fight against the coronavirus, as they do not have access to the system, which shows where there are free beds. For this reason, in many cases, in which they still go to the address, a tour of the medical establishments begins.

Ten additional cars from the Ministry of Interior will help the medical emergency teams in Sofia. By Wednesday, additional 17 new equipped ambulances are expected to arrive to facilitate the work of the emergency service. This was announced by the Minister of Health Prof. Dr. Kostadin Angelov on November 2, in relation to the provision of emergency medical care.

"You saw that there were difficulties in serving patients in Sofia. That is why we decided with Minister Hristo Terziiski and by order of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov to provide additional vehicles for the Emergency Medical Service and especially for the territory of Sofia, where the biggest problem is. We have 25 cars on daily duty available. As of today, with 10 more cars, the teams will be increased by almost 50% and we hope that from today there will be no problem with transporting patients from their homes to medical institutions," said Minister Angelov.

These cars are suitable for transportation to medical institutions of mild and moderate cases. Trained paramedics will travel in these cars so that patients can be monitored during transportation, the minister explained.

On Wednesday, the Emergency Centre in Sofia will receive 17 equipped new ambulances for the teams. "In this way we will improve the transportation of patients. The main problem, which was due to the situation with waiting for people who needed teams, was due to the difficulties in the admission of patients to medical institutions," said the minister.

They will be fully equipped and will be used entirely only for addresses with COVID patients, confirmed Dr. Georgi Gelev, director of the emergency unit in Sofia.

"Our health system should withstand the epidemic. But the situation is so dynamic and those who run the system must respond dynamically to the situation," he added.

"Information has appeared on social networks that I have waved a finger at the Bulgarian doctors. There is no such thing, I am grateful to them and I am one of them, but I cannot help but be angry with those who refuse to open COVID wards and refuse to accept patients ", commented the Minister of Health. The topic came up on the agenda after a coverage by BNT "One Night in an Ambulance" (which showed a Covid-19 patient waiting for a long time in an ambulance before admission to hospital).

This is the reason why I personally started checking whether my order is being carried out, Angelov announced. He also confirmed that control inspections in private and state laboratories will start today, as there is a serious delay in uploading the results to the system. According to the signed contracts, they are obliged to publish the results in the National System by 9.00 am.