Sixty per cent of Bulgarians do not go to compulsory annual medical check-ups – report
About 60 per cent of adult Bulgarians do not attend the mandatory annual medical examination, according to National Health Insurance Fund figures.
Although the law provides for fines for failing to go for an annual medical, those who go tend to be those with chronic illnesses, a report by Bulgarian National Television on October 7 said.
Of Bulgaria’s population, more than 4.7 million adult Bulgarians are required by law to go for check-ups every year. By the end of September 2018, only 37 per cent had complied, the report said.
The medical check-up is free-of-charge. It includes, among others, an ECG, tests of urine, blood sugar and eyesight. Based on the results, risks of developing heart disease, malignant illnesses and diabetes are calculated.
Risk groups are entitled to a free secondary screening.
General practitioner Dr Gergana Nikolova said that every lev invested in a medical check-up prevented spending hundreds of leva on treatments.
Bulgaria’s Health Act provides for fines of 50 to 200 leva for missing the mandatory medical annual check-up.
However, the NHIF does not have the power to impose the fines, which is in the hands of the regional health inspectorates. BNT said that the Health Ministry did not respond to an inquiry about fines imposed.
(Photo: Iwan Beijes)
