Caretaker Minister Okoliyski Demands Recovery Plan for "St. Anna" Varna

Acting Minister of Health Assoc. Prof. Mihail Okoliyski requested the preparation and presentation of a recovery plan for the Multiprofile Hospital for Active Treatment "St. Anna" - Varna within a short period, the press center of the Ministry of Health announced. The plan for the recovery of the medical institution is due to the accumulated financial difficulties and the situation in the pediatric surgery department.

During a conversation between Assoc. Prof. Okoliyski and the director of the medical institution, Dr. Krasimir Petrov, and the mayor of Varna, Blagomir Kotsev, it was emphasized that the hospital plays a key role for the region and takes on a significant part of the emergency cases in the area. Minister Okoliyski got acquainted with the most urgent problems, pointing out that the documents received by the Ministry of Health, related to the hospital's request for a new loan, will be considered promptly. Within the powers of the caretaker government, the possibilities for supporting the medical institution will be discussed with a view to ensuring sustainability in its activity and guaranteeing access to medical care.

Deputy Minister of Health Dr. Petar Gribnev, undertook to invite the doctors from the team of the Pediatric Surgery Department to a conversation, in order to seek a solution to reach a consensus and restore its activity.

The Ministry of Health will continue coordination with the hospital management, local authorities and medical specialists to find working solutions in the interest of patients.

After March 1, all children who need surgery will be referred to the University Hospital "St. Marina" - Varna, as the department in "St. Anna" has stopped its activity due to the departure of the team.

At the beginning of February 2026, the outgoing Minister of Health Assoc. Prof. Silvi Kirilov ordered an audit to be carried out at "St. Anna" in Varna to identify the systemic problems accumulated in the medical institution. On February 17, the hospital management sent a letter to the chairman of the Municipal Council in the city, Hristo Dimitrov, with which it urgently requested that financial assistance of 300 thousand euros be granted to the medical institution.  A few days later, the mayor of Varna, Blagomir Kotsev, sent a letter to the new Minister of Health Mihail Okoliyski, requesting that financial assistance be provided for "St. Anna".