Print - Bulgarian Healthcare in Dire Straits - Study - Novinite.com The overall health of Bulgarians and the situation with healthcare are worsening, according to a recent report. The report on the health of Bulgarian citizens for 2013 has been adopted by the Parliamentary Healthcare Committee. The report underscores the lack of administrative and organizational changes in the system and lack of any changes in the way it is financed. The negative trends of high child mortality (two times higher than the average in Europe), the demographic collapse and the more frequent hospitalizations are also noted in it. Hospitals' debt is staggering and continues to increase. In 2012, Bulgaria had 339 hospitals and 28 643 doctors, of whom 47% were younger than 60 years of age; 20% were over 60, and 25% were between 31 and 45 year-old. In comparison, in 2009, Bulgaria had 35 000 doctors. There is a strong shortage of rehabilitation facilities. Positives include the introduction of vaccine against meningitis, decreasing number of abortions, though one of every ten was performed on a teen girl.