Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Bulgarian healthcare faced with shortage of 17,000 nurses

Photo: Archive

The Bulgarian Association of Health Care Professionals insists that the Bulgarian state should set a minimum number of nurses in each health care facility to ensure quality care for patients. The same proposal applies to midwives, rehabilitation workers, laboratory technicians and other specialists. 

According to a report by the Council for Economic Analysis of the Council of Ministers, there is a shortage of about 17 thousand nurses in Bulgaria, or 60% of the workforce in 2021. Thus, there is less than one nurse per doctor. However, if the normal ratio of 2:1 is to be reached, 29 thousand professionals need to enter the healthcare system. 

Figures from the same year show that 540 students graduate as nurses annually, while those leaving the jobs as nurses number 890. 

On International Nursing Day, the association is proposing that salaries be increased in line with the knowledge, skills and responsibilities in nursing teams to address the staffing crisis.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

BNB starts minting Bulgarian euro coins

Following the Council of the EU's and the European Parliament's decision on Bulgaria's accession to the eurozone, the country is entering the final phase of preparation, said Dimitar Radev , Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB), in an interview..

published on 7/8/25 4:38 PM

Bulgaria becomes the 21st member of the Eurozone

The EU Council on Economic and Financial Affairs (ECOFIN) unanimously approved the final three acts enabling Bulgaria’s accession to the eurozone. Earlier, MEPs in Strasbourg had adopted the report supporting Bulgaria’s admission to the euro area...

published on 7/8/25 3:25 PM
Zhecho Stankov

With pipes from India, Bulgaria accelerates construction of gas pipeline to Central Europe

 A second ship carrying pipes for the Vertical Gas Corridor project, which will connect Greece and Romania, has arrived at the Port of Burgas. Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov oversaw the delivery. "These 2,526 pipes from India..

published on 7/8/25 3:16 PM