The decision by Health Minister Kostadin Angelov for the suspension of planned hospital admissions and non-emergency surgery at medical establishments could prove more dangerous to patients than the reason why this decision was made, reads a position by the Bulgarian Hospital Association, which calls that the order be reconsidered.

The Association points out that the risk of patients contracting Covid-19 in hospitals has been reduced to a minimum and that for many of the patients affected by the decision treatment or surgery is life-saving.

One of the motives for suspending planned hospital admissions was to vacate more beds for Covid-19 patients. The Association emphasizes that the beds for coronavirus patients are designated specifically for that purpose and cannot be used by other patients.

“We cannot put patients suffering from dozens of other diseases on the back burner,” the position of the Bulgarian Hospital Association reads.