Kristian Vigenin visited the St Ivan Rilski State Psychiatric Hospital

On the international day for the fight against schizophrenia, the Bulgarian MEP Kristian Vigenin visited the St Ivan Rilski State Psychiatric Hospital. About 1% of the world’s population suffers from the condition, and the trends point towards an increase.

The administrative director Dr Lidia Chorbanova briefed Vigenin on the problems facing the management and the medical specialists of the hospital. The broader aspects of the provision of psychiatric care in Bulgaria were also discussed, a topic that is unfortunately interpreted without sufficient information but with a serious dose of prejudice.

The funding of psychiatric care mainly from the budget of the Ministry of Health puts a strain on the teams that give their strength and energy every day in support of citizens. The low pay of doctors and medical staff, orderlies and psychologists also leads to a decline in the number of people, especially young people, willing to devote themselves to this profession.
The lack of adequate follow-up care for those who are discharged, however, is what to a large extent creates the prospect of their being returned to the medical facilities again.

In the view of the head of the Bulgarian Socialists in the EP, this vicious circle can be broken only through follow-up monitoring and prevention. And that also saves money.

As a member of the EP Public Health Committee, Vigenin proposed organising a broader discussion with all stakeholders, during which steps could be outlined aimed at real help for people with mental illness and for the specialists who care for them.