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Through the combination of helicopter equipment and highly specialized medical teams, we will finally be able to provide timely assistance, even in the most remote locations. This was commented by the caretaker Deputy Prime Minister for European Funds Management Atanas Pekanov Atanas Pekanovis an economist at the Austrian Institute for Economic Research (WIFO), in Vienna, in front of the first medics who completed the training course "Emergency Medical Care by Air".

Pekanov and the Minister of Health in the caretaker cabinet Asen Medzhidiev are in the simulation center of the Military Medical Academy, where they are about to present the certificates to the students.

"The steps taken in Bulgaria to have world-class medical services are important," Pekanov said.

In his words, today's event marks an important step in the pursuit of improving medical care in the country.

Through air assistance, the most remote places in the country will be reached quickly. Healthcare is an area in which every Bulgarian citizen is particularly sensitive and there is more to do, he said and pointed out the need for trust in the system.

Pekanov recalled that under the Recovery and Resilience Plan we have a serious financial resource for providing medical care by air, for modernizing hospitals, for psychiatric care, for building centers for the treatment of strokes, but all this must go with reforms.

50 medics completed the air emergency course, the health minister promised them a visit to Italy

"One of them is to create a fund to promote a more balanced distribution of medical specialists in the country, so that even in the most remote settlements there is access to medical care," Pekanov added.

"It is considered that those who have passed the course will be sent for a five-day visit to Italy, where they will get acquainted with the possibilities of providing emergency medical care by air," said Minister Medzhidiev.

According to him, negotiations are currently underway with the supplier of the helicopters "Leonardo", and there will probably be an opportunity with the medics to be the teachers of the course.

After years of discussion, this year we finally established a center for emergency medical care by air in order to sustainably solve the issue of assistance by air transport to people in serious condition who need rapid transportation, added Minister Medzhidiev.

He congratulated the graduates of the training course and thanked the management of the Military Hospital, in whose simulation center the training is conducted.

The first two helicopters are expected to arrive in Bulgaria in the period June-July. Sofia and Dolna Mitropolia will be used as bases.

Atanas Pekanov

Medical helicopters