NEWS

The Faculty of Public Health "Prof. Dr. Tsekomir Vodenicharov, MD" (FOH) at the Medical University - Sofia, celebrating its 30th anniversary, with established traditions and high quality of education, is actively involved in solving the crisis of the shortage of nurses in Bulgaria. 

According to the latest data, our country needs nearly 17,000 nurses, which poses a serious challenge to the healthcare system.

Declining number of nurses

Over the past 30 years, the number of nurses in Bulgaria has almost halved. While in 1990 they were over 53,000, in 2023 their number dropped to around 28,600, according to the National Statistics Office.

Measures to attract staff

To address this problem, the Ministry of Education, at the initiative of the Health Fund, MU-Sofia and the Association of Medical Universities, is proposing that the specialty "Nursing" become protected and exempt from fees. This could increase interest in the profession and attract more young people.

Prof. Alexandrina Vodenicharova, Dean of the Faculty of Public Health at MU-Sofia, commented in an interview with bTVthat: 

"The principled position of the Health Insurance Fund has always been supportive of including the specialty in the list of protected specialties. Steps must be taken to alleviate fees, create better conditions for the realization of future personnel, and for them to have the opportunity to continue developing after they graduate, rather than retraining."

Prospects for future nurses

Continuing the topic, FOS provides an opportunity for its students to share their learning experiences.

It is important to understand that the profession is autonomous and diverse. It is necessary to create those conditions that will ensure the most dignified realization of personnel in the healthcare system.

An interview with Michaela Dzhuneva, a third-year student majoring in Nursing, reveals the challenges and motivations of future medical specialists.

Readiness to train new staff

The Faculty of Public Health "Prof. Dr. Tsekomir Vodenicharov, MD" expresses its readiness and enthusiasm for the training of the new generation of nurses.

For more information about the Nursing program and career opportunities, visit the official website of the Faculty of Public Health.