Lozenets University Hospital in Sofia has been providing free check-ups to Ukrainian citizens who had arrived in Bulgaria’s capital citysince the beginning of this week. Refugees who have been injured due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine can seek help in all hospital departments.

In an interview for Radio Bulgaria, the head of the Internal Medicine Clinic at the hospital, Dr. Krasimir Angelov, explained the procedure:

"The examination procedure is the same as for Bulgarian citizens. The patients who do not require urgent intervention need to book an appointment for the check-ups. The only requirement is that they present their identity document."

The hospital has already performed one surgical intervention on a Ukrainian citizenm says Dr. Krasimir Angelov.

"We have a patient in the hospital who had surgery in Ukraine shortly before leaving the country. Due to a post-operative complication she had to be operated on again with us. So far the manipulation has been successful. The patient is young with no other diseases."

Dr. Angelov said that some of the staff at the hospital are infected with Covid-19, but are being treated at home and there is no risk to the hospital's operations, which continue as scheduled.

The problem with the refugees' health insurance has not been resolved yet.

"The Ministry of Health is responsible for finding a solution to this problem. I have no idea yet how the various examinations, operations and manipulations of these patients will be financed - admits Dr. Angelov. – The only thing I know is that patients will not pay for the health services provided by the hospital."

For a week now, free check-ups for refugees from the war in Ukraine, regardless of their ethnic origin and religious affiliation, have been carried out by medics at another multiprofile hospital in the capital, St. Anna's. The teams of the Sheinovo Hospital and the First Obstetric and Gynaecological Hospital "St. Sofia" are also ready to help refugee women who are pregnant or need medical assistance and consultation.

Medical institutions in other cities are also ready to take patients: Plovdiv’s Medicus Alpha, UMHAT Burgas and Montana’s multiprofilehospital.

Editor: Elena Karkalanova