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Urban health

Workshop on development of palliative care in Bulgaria

16-12-2011
Photo: Jan Stjernsward

On 2-3 December 2011, the Specialized Hospital for Active Treatment on Oncology and the Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Vratsa, supported by the WHO Country Office, Bulgaria, organized the workshop entitled “Development of palliative care in Bulgaria”. This was part of the activities under the Biennial Collaborative Agreement between the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the Bulgarian Ministry of Health (2010-2011).

Among the many presentations made were: 

  • cancer statistics and perspectives
  • palliative care situation in Bulgaria
  • experience of the national cancer hospital in palliative care
  • palliative care in the private hospitals
  • education in palliative care
  • Bulgarian orthodox church and palliative care
  • problems of the private hospice
  • home-based palliative care.

Recommendations for future action on palliative care were prepared and submitted to the government. Dr Farman Abdullayev (WHO Country Office, Bulgaria), Dr Jan Stjernsward and Dr Xavier Batiste Gomez (WHO consultants) also took part in the event.