On Monday, April 7, the Bulgarian Parliament passed a law to subsidize medications for acute viral infections and antibiotics for children under the age of seven.
According to the newly adopted law, the Bulgarian government will fund only the cheapest generic versions of medications. If a doctor and the parents choose a more expensive alternative, they will have to pay the difference in price.
The state investment in the free medication package for all children under seven is expected to reduce the number of child hospitalizations in the country by at least 10%.
Earlier this year, public organizations in Bulgaria published a large-scale study showing that the average Bulgarian family spends around 280 euros per year on medication for one child. Children from families that cannot afford medicine for viral and other infections often end up in the hospital.
For example, in 2024, Bulgarian parents incurred over 500 million euros in direct expenses for treating their children. Of that amount, more than 32 million euros were spent on antibiotics.
Bulgaria continues to rank last in the European Union in indicators such as the number of stillbirths, child mortality, and the number of pediatric hospitalizations.
According to official data from the National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria, one in four children in the country lives in poverty, and one in three is at risk of poverty and social exclusion.
