Proposal for State-Funded Medical Professionals to Work Three Years in Municipal Hospitals

The Ministry of Health should develop regulations requiring medical graduates who studied under state-funded programs to work in municipal hospitals for three years. This proposal was put forward by the Mayor of Karlovo, Emil Kabaivanov, to Health Minister Katya Ivkova during a working meeting between the leadership of the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria (NAMRB) and representatives of the Ministry of Health.

The meeting topics focused on issues in pediatric and school healthcare, as well as the staffing and financial difficulties faced by municipal medical facilities.

“The issue of municipal hospitals is one of the most painful topics for all of us. In many small and remote municipalities, the municipal hospital is the only place where people can receive timely medical assistance,” Kabaivanov noted.

According to him, introducing a mandatory three-year work period for medical specialists trained with state funding could help overcome the serious staffing deficit in municipal hospitals.

He stated that this would allow young doctors to acquire a specialty under more favorable conditions, while simultaneously ensuring better access to medical care in regions with staff shortages.

The Mayor of Karlovo also raised the issue of the need for greater financial support for medical facilities in remote and high-risk areas.

“We expect the 2026 regular budget to include an increase in funding for remote and high-risk medical facilities. This is not just a matter of medical activity, but of security for the people. In several regions, if the municipal hospital stops operating, access to healthcare becomes practically impossible,” Kabaivanov stated.

For her part, Health Minister Katya Ivkova committed that ministry experts would analyze the proposals and discuss possibilities for their implementation.

The Mayor of Karlovo emphasized that municipalities are already taking various measures to attract and retain medical staff—providing housing, supporting residents, funding training, and offering additional incentives.

“Municipalities are doing everything in their power, but our resources are not infinite,” he pointed out, adding that municipalities and the Ministry of Health must act as partners in seeking sustainable solutions to the staffing crisis in the system.