The pediatric surgery department at St. Anna Hospital in Varna will close its doors on March 1 due to resignations from the medical staff, BNT reported. The doctors have indicated that they plan to continue their work at a private medical facility in Burgas.

St. Anna Hospital’s management officially informed the director of the Regional Health Institute in Varna that, after March 1, children and adolescents aged 0 to 18 who require specialized surgical care will need to be referred to other competent facilities.

This department was among the last areas at St. Anna Hospital to undergo major renovations, including new operating rooms and a fully updated material base. Over the past year, with the exception of the most recent month - when all hospital staff received only their base salaries due to delayed payments from the National Health Insurance Fund and the Ministry of Health - doctors in the department earned no less than five minimum wages, or roughly 2,950 BGN (€1,508) per month.

Dr. Rumen Hristov, head of the department, declined to speak on camera but told reporters by phone that the resignations of two doctors and one pediatric surgery resident are not motivated by money. Instead, they cited the lack of opportunities for professional growth. The department currently operates only one day per week, limiting the staff’s ability to specialize and develop their expertise.