A total of 12 emergency centers are to start functioning in Bulgaria as of 2014, according to Health Minister Tanya Andreeva.

Andreeva, who presented the strategy on emergency services in 2014-2020 at a press conference on Thursday, made clear that the facilities were to be opened at the district hospitals in Sofia (at the Pirogov hospital and the Sveta Anna hospital), Montana, Pleven, Veliko Tarnovo, Shumen, Varna, Burgas, Stara Zagora, Haskovo, Plovdiv and Blagoevgrad.

Bulgaria's Health Minister, as cited by the Bulgarian National Radio, informed that a total of BGN 47 M had been earmarked for urgent care centers.

She said that at least 30% of the ambulances would be upgraded, including their equipment, so that they would be able to offer more than taxi services.

Andreeva suggested that the new facilities would admit emergency patients faster, for instance people who had suffered a stroke or a heart attack.

She commented that the existing delays of emergency services were due to poor organization and poor coordination.

The Health Minister went on to say that the number of call centers of Bulgaria's National Emergency System 112 would increase because the existing six facilities were insufficient.

According to reports of mediapool.bg, there are a total of 357 mobile emergency teams in Bulgaria. The country has a total of 663 ambulances, the last batch of 159 being bought in 2009.

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