Under the Operational Programme "Regions in Growth" 2014-2020, additional funds will be provided to strengthen the capacity of the health system to respond to a pandemic

The Government approved an amendment to the Operational Program "Regions in Growth" 2014-2020 (OPRG) in order to provide additional resources to strengthen the capacity of the health system in Bulgaria to deal with the effects of the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to respond to future crises.

Funding is provided through the REACT-EU instrument, which provides additional funding from the Structural Funds for the period 2020-2022 for operations in support of overcoming the effects of the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The funds will be used to set up isolated structures and deliver the necessary medical equipment for the treatment and monitoring of COVID-19 patients for 105 hospitals, including respiratory enhancers, vital signs monitors, X-ray mobile devices, ultrasounds, defibrillators , gas blood analyzers, etc. It is planned to supply tests and consumables necessary for testing the donated blood in the centres for transfusion hematology for the diagnosis of COVID-19, as well as to expand the production of blood plasma in two transfusion centres.

Measures for e-health and telemedicine will also be financed, including the provision of devices for electronic exchange of medical documents, equipment for general practitioners and doctors-specialists for remote monitoring of patients in disadvantaged areas, equipment for patients for remote monitoring, implementation of systems for archive and transfer of image research and support to pharmacies for successful implementation of electronic prescriptions.

The planned resource amounts to BGN 129.3 million, and the beneficiary of the support will be the Ministry of Health, including in partnership with municipalities or municipal medical institutions.