A total of 26 hospitals in Bulgaria will have certified medical helicopter landing pads. As January 31 approaches - the date when the first air ambulance is supposed to fly from Italy to Bulgaria, the Bulgarian capital's "St. Anna" hospital has become a certified landing site, reported BGNES.
"On Friday we received the official confirmation from the manufacturer, they assured us that on January 29 the last test flight will be conducted, during which the first air ambulance helicopter should fly from Italy to Bulgaria on January 31," said Transport Minister Georgi Gvozdeikov, who handed over the documents for registration at the site to the executive director of "Sveta Anna", Dr. Slavcho Bliznakov.
After receiving the first emergency helicopter, by the end of 2024 our country should receive several more machines. "The second helicopter for emergency medical assistance by air should arrive at the end of June, and the third should arrive in December," recalled Minister Gvozdeikov. In April 2026, Bulgaria should also have the last helicopter for emergency medical assistance by air under the Plan for Recovery and Resilience.
St. Anne's Hospital has had a helipad for years, and helicopters have landed in its yard. "But we are already part of a new system for providing emergency aid by air", specified Dr. Slavcho Bliznakov, noting the enormous progress for emergency aid.
"The entire hospital is trained to act in emergencies, we will now also provide help by air," commented the director of the "St. Anna" hospital.
The Minister of Transport clarified that the expected helicopter should fly in a range of 200 kilometers.
Gvozdeikov explained that several more hospitals expect to receive certified landing sites for helicopters for air assistance, among them are "St. Ekaterina" and the Government Hospital. Medical facilities in Ruse and Varna will also have certified landing sites.
Regarding the approaching rotation in government power, the Minister of Transport clarified that for him the most important thing is to complete what is laid down in the management program, and his place in the Council of Ministers after March is not on the agenda. /BGNES
