The government's plans for the National Children's Hospital include not only the construction of the facility within the current term but also the provision of the surrounding infrastructure and the simultaneous recruitment of qualified medical teams. This was stated by Minister of Health Katya Ivkova, who also commented on the current situation regarding immunizations and day nurseries.
A total of 560,000 doses of flu vaccines have been secured for the upcoming season, which will cover the needs of all individuals eligible for vaccination. Speaking to the media, Ivkova clarified that these quantities also include nasal preparations intended specifically for children. It is expected that the regional health inspectorates will begin distributing the medications to general practitioners within about two weeks, with the Minister emphasizing that there are no indications of parallel exports of the vaccines.
In response to a question regarding the shortage of medical specialists in day nursery groups, the Minister reminded the public of the existing regulatory exception introduced last year. According to this provision, when it is proven impossible to hire medical staff, one medical professional is appointed to the nursery, and the pedagogical staff takes over the work within the groups. According to Ivkova, this solution has already been discussed with the Sofia Municipality, and further talks involving the Ministry of Education and Science are forthcoming.