In connection with publications that a child injured in a traffic accident was not transported by a helicopter of Bulgaria Heli Med Service from Montana Hospital to Sofia, we provide the following information:
After receiving the signal that the child was refused transportation by helicopter of emergency medical care by air, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadzhov immediately checked whether the operator Bulgaria Heli Med Service had refused to fulfil the said hems mission. Since yesterday, no signal for the transport of this patient has been received either in Bulgaria Heli Med Service or in the Centre for Emergency Medical Assistance by air.
From a telephone conversation of the Deputy Prime Minister with the Director of the Montana Hospital, Dr. Toni Todorov, it became clear that the child's state of health at the moment does not allow him to be transported to another hospital. This is the reason why the Montana Multiprofile Hospital has not yet submitted a request for the patient to be transported. According to the procedure, only the sending hospital can decide whether the child's condition requires and whether it allows him to be transported to another medical facility by medical helicopter. The next step is the confirmation of the receiving hospital that there is an opportunity to hospitalize the patient.
Deputy PM Karadzhov and Minister of Health Assoc. Prof. Dr. Silvi Kirilov are in continuous contact with the Montana Hospital and at the discretion of the treatment team will provide both an air transfer and a host hospital in Sofia.
"It is not permissible for third parties without medical expertise to assess the need for the use of emergency medical care by air, because very often this can cost the patient's life," Grozdan Karadzhov said regarding the information disseminated. He added that Bulgaria Heli Med Service remains ready to take off immediately if it receives a request from the Centre for Emergency Medical Assistance by air, as per the procedure.