Doctors at Southwest Hospital Retract Resignations; Sandanски Municipality Offers Support
In a surprising turn of events, doctors at Southwest Hospital have withdrawn their resignations. The decision comes after a meeting with local mayors and a wave of public support. Dr. Dimitur Stanoyev, the head of the cardiology department at the base hospital in Sandanski, confirmed this development.
Earlier, on December 11, 29 doctors from the hospital had submitted their resignation letters following incidents of verbal abuse directed at them, stemming from the case of a baby who passed away in Sandanski.
Dr. Stanoyev stated, "We gathered all the doctors, along with the mayors and decided to withdraw our resignations for now. We have the support of the entire community, including mayors, councilors, teachers, and other institutional representatives. It would be unfair to leave the people without a hospital, especially when so many stand behind us. We cannot let innocent people suffer due to political games."
The municipality of Sandanski has shown its support, with the municipal council offering unanimous backing to the doctors. The municipality has agreed to fund the departments that are currently running at a loss until the national budget is approved.
Dr. Stanoyev also highlighted the nationwide issue of staff shortages in healthcare, stating that the consolidation of hospitals has somewhat eased the burden on doctors, despite the cardiology department being the only one in the hospital.
The Bulgarian Medical Association has also expressed its support for the doctors, with Dr. Brnzhalov stating that the association stands behind the decision of their colleagues.
Dr. Stanoyev urged the public not to be swayed by provocations, emphasizing that the hospital has no connection to the case of the deceased infant. He believes that the upcoming local elections in Sandanski have led some people to feign concern for the hospital’s staff.
He concluded, "Let’s not sell our souls. It’s high time for society to mature."
