75 Reports of Aggression against Medical Staff Submitted to the Ministry of Interior Since the Beginning of the Year

Since the start of the year, 75 reports of aggression towards healthcare professionals have been filed with the Ministry of Interior. For the whole of 2024, the total number of such reports stands at 99.

A survey by Trend, commissioned by the Bulgarian Medical Association (BMA), shows that around 56% of doctors have been victims of verbal aggression, while 7% have experienced physical aggression. The data were presented during a BMA forum, part of the campaign “Overcome the Anger.”

Dr Nikolay Branzalov, Chair of the BMA:
“Society must understand that aggression against a doctor is not simply an attack on an individual. It is a blow to the healthcare system and to every patient’s right to receive adequate care. When a doctor feels unsafe, it is not only they who suffer — their family and society as a whole are affected.”

Silvi Kirilov, Minister of Health:
“Violence against medical staff — whether physical, verbal or psychological — is not a solution to the problem. Aggression does not heal; it undermines the foundations of the healthcare system and directly damages the doctor–patient relationship.”