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Ombudsman Diana Kovacheva

Diana Kovacheva was born in Sofia in 1975. She graduated in law from Sofia University "St. Kliment sent a recommendation to the official Minister of Health Dr. Asen Medjidiev, the manager of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) Prof. Petko Salchev and to the chairman of the Bulgarian Medical Association union Dr. Ivan Madzharov, in which he insists on guaranteeing the right of patients with rheumatic diseases to timely access to treatment, the press center of the public defender reports.

The reason for the recommendation is a letter from the Association of Patients with Autoimmune Diseases (APAZ) and the Organization of Patients with Rheumatic Diseases in Bulgaria (OPRZB), in which they appeal for assistance to Prof. Kovacheva for the implementation of a constructive dialogue with health institutions on the occasion of " systematic discrimination of patients with rheumatological diseases'.

The ombudsman emphasizes that patients with the mentioned diseases alarm that they have difficulties in securing medicinal products prescribed by protocol and paid for by the NHIF and note the need to ease the procedure.

It indicates that their proposals were ignored by the institutions they addressed, and that their request for a meeting was not honored.

"They define the attitude towards them, "mostly by the NHIF", as "callous, administrative and discriminatory".

In this regard, they are requesting the ombudsman for assistance in carrying out a constructive dialogue," Kovacheva wrote.

She draws attention to the fact that in their complaint to her, APAZ and OPPRZB set out in detail the problems that patients with rheumatic diseases encounter in connection with their treatment.

They note that often more than 8 months pass from the diagnosis of the patient to receiving the necessary therapy.     

Prof. Kovacheva lists the most serious prerequisites for violation of patients' rights.

It indicates the need for disabled and disabled people to travel, which puts their health at risk;

the cost difficulties of traveling from remote and small settlements, especially for pensioners and people on low incomes;

the absence from work of working patients;

serious delay in initiation or continuation of therapy.

Kovacheva also emphasized that the need for frequent absences from work for visits to the supervising specialist - rheumatologist, medical facilities for hospital care, in which specialized commissions have been opened, as well as to the RZOK for approval and certification of the protocols, are often the cause of problems with employers .

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He emphasizes that patients also signal that due to exhausted limits of hospitals, they wait for weeks for a date to be set for them to appear before the Expert Medical Commission and during this time they interrupt their treatment.

It indicates that the APAZ and OPPRZB make proposals to optimize the path of patients with rheumatic diseases to the prescription and receipt of the medicinal products necessary for their treatment, which they describe in detail.

"In connection with the above, with concern for the rights of citizens and based on the powers granted to me by the Law on the Ombudsman, I turn to you with a strong recommendation to consider the problems raised and the proposals made in this regard.

I expect that the possibilities will be discussed and a solution found to guarantee the right of patients with rheumatic diseases to timely access to treatment, overcoming the indicated difficulties and prerequisites for violations of their rights in the course of the procedure", insists the ombudsman.

In conclusion, Kovacheva recommends the implementation of a constructive dialogue and meetings with representatives of APAZ and OPRZB.

Diana Kovacheva

treatment

rheumatic diseases