Bulgaria and North Macedonia Signed Health Care Cooperation Plan for the Period 2026–2028

Bulgarian Health Minister Katya Ivkova and her counterpart from the Republic of North Macedonia, Sasho Klekovski, signed a Cooperation Plan between the two ministries for the period 2026–2028 in Sofia. The document provides for joint initiatives, the exchange of medical expertise and the development of cooperation in the fields of healthcare and medical science.

The plan builds on the agreement between the governments of the two countries, signed in Sofia on 20 October 2000.

“The future of healthcare is not determined by borders between countries, but by our ability to bring together knowledge, technology and expertise for the benefit of patients. Bulgaria has the potential to drive regional cooperation in medicine. Our ambition is for the plan signed today to translate into tangible projects with measurable results. The true value of any agreement is measured not by the signatures it bears, but by the benefits it delivers to people,” Minister Katya Ivkova said.

“Our healthcare systems face similar challenges, and sharing experience and good practices enables us to find more effective solutions. I believe that direct contacts between healthcare facilities and medical professionals will give fresh impetus to our partnership and contribute to higher-quality, more accessible medical care,” Minister Sasho Klekovski said.

Following the signing, the two ministers visited the Maichin Dom University Obstetrics and Gynaecology Hospital in Sofia, where they were welcomed by its Executive Director, Prof. Ivan Kostov, MD, PhD, Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Medical University of Sofia.

They toured the Neonatology Clinic and learned about the care provided to newborn and premature babies. The visit was also attended by Dr Veselin Dyavolov, Deputy Director for Medical and Diagnostic Activities; Associate Professor Stanislava Hitrova, Head of the Intensive Care Unit at the Neonatology Clinic; Professor Asen Nikolov, Head of the Maternity Clinic and Chair of the Bulgarian Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology; and Associate Professor Irena Bradinova, Head of the National Genetic Laboratory.

Prenatal diagnosis, universal newborn screening and rapid genomic diagnostics were among the main topics discussed. The participants explored opportunities for joint pilot projects, sharing laboratory capacity and expanding screening programmes to cover additional treatable hereditary diseases.

Prospects for cooperation in robotic gynaecological surgery and gynaecological oncology were also discussed. The visit identified practical ways to implement the agreed cooperation through joint medical projects benefiting patients in both countries.