The founders of the "Danaya for Life" Foundation, consisting of public figures, have declared their position and presented their demands for urgent reforms in the dire state of child healthcare in Bulgaria. The civil initiative has been endorsed by 67 influential individuals, including doctors, lawyers, writers, artists, musicians, journalists, economists, athletes, bloggers, directors, scholars, university professors, teachers, environmentalists, engineers, and entrepreneurs.

“The foundation is placing a broader focus on genuinely attempting to change the system as it currently stands, recognizing that it is not beneficial nor supportive. We are actively working with a clear understanding of what we want to achieve and how to do it”, stated Kremena Kuneva, who is part of the founders of the Danaya Foundation, to BNR.

Over the next three months, the foundation plans to gather signatures in support of six specific public requests, each with specific deadlines for implementation.

On the foundation's website, they emphasize the necessity for changes concerning the serious systemic issues affecting children in Bulgaria. These issues encompass mental health problems among children, unhealthy dietary and physical habits, as well as social issues such as early alcohol and cigarette consumption. Additionally, they highlight that Bulgaria significantly lags behind all European countries in its care for children, and many problems require close collaboration between the healthcare and educational sectors.

The National Civil Initiative was established following the Law on the Direct Participation of Citizens in State Authorities and Local Self-Government. It bears the symbolic name “Danaya for Life” and is dedicated to all children whose lives are lost within the system. In Bulgaria, child mortality rates are among the highest in the European Union.

The petition advocates for:

1.      Implementation of a digital information system for all pediatric clinics in the country, directing families in real-time to the most suitable clinics and specialists based on their location and the child's condition.
2.      Establishment of a hotline with a unified national number for reporting problems and providing support to parents of child patients.
3.      Introduction of Good Medical Practice Rules for all specialties. Regular review and updating of all medical protocols for emergency and urgent care. Wide public access to protocols on hospital websites and digital platforms.
4.      Implementation of a quality control system for inter-hospital and intra-hospital communication with traceability of decisions, actions, and responsibilities.
5.      Introduction of mandatory continuous medical education for all medical specialties, foundationally supported by each hospital.
6.      Restructuring of the Executive Agency "Medical Supervision" into an independent state body protected against pressure, influences, or corruption.

The demands will be presented to the National Assembly of Bulgaria, the Council of Ministers, and the Ministry of Health, which must respond with specific actions within a 3-month timeframe or publicly justify their refusal to initiate reforms. The primary objective of these measures is to save lives.

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