BGN 129 million are provided by OPPRD to support health facilities in the fight against coronavirus

Delivery of new equipment, establishment of specialized departments for treatment of Covid-19 and systems for extraction of blood plasma among the priorities of the programme

Over BGN 129 million will be provided to combat the spread of COVID-19 and to support hospitals and the health system in working in pandemic crises. The funds are provided by the new EU instrument - REACT-EU. They will be allocated under the Operational Program "Regions in Growth" 2014-2020 managed by the MRDPW through the specially disclosed Priority Axis 9 "Support to the health system for crisis management". The Managing Authority of the program published today for public discussion a draft Guidelines for applications and their annexes to the procedure for direct grants.

Earlier today, the EC announced that it supports the amendment of the program and the measure to support the health system.

A specific beneficiary is the Ministry of Health and the projects can be implemented in partnership with municipalities or municipal medical institutions.

The activities are aimed at strengthening the capacity of the hospital network through reconstruction, design and repair activities for the establishment of isolated structures for treatment of patients with COVID-19 to hospitals, provision of medical and hospital equipment for structures established for treatment and care of patients with COVID -19, increasing the capacity of the centers for transfusion hematology for the diagnosis of COVID-19 and the introduction of telemedicine in order to reduce the contacts of coronavirus -infected patients in receiving medical care.

The funds will be used to finance projects for the opening of coronavirus treatment sectors with the necessary medical and hospital equipment. These include breathing aids, X-ray mobile devices, ultrasounds, defibrillators, gas-blood analyzers and power generators to ensure the continuity of life- sustaining medical equipment, respirators, vital signs monitors, defibrillators, intensive care beds, as well as standard hospital beds, hospital bedding, etc.

The new priority axis will also finance measures to increase the capacity of the centers for transfusion hematology in Sofia and Varna for the diagnosis of COVID-19. In addition to coronavirus tests, the two centers will supply devices for extracting blood plasma, which is used to treat patients with the virus.

The funds will also support the construction of a National Health Information System.

The deadline for submitting project proposals, set out in the Guidelines for Applicants published for public discussion, is the end of July this year.

Last year, the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works redirected BGN 40.4 million from OPPRD to the Ministry of Health to provide the most necessary medical equipment and consumables to fight the coronavirus in the country. The project successfully supported the work of medical and non-medical personnel on the first line in the fight against COVID-19, and through the activities carried out in the first months of the pandemic, vital personal protective equipment was provided. The capacity of medical institutions to serve seriously ill patients with COVID-19 through purchased respirators was also strengthened.