Air medical services

Bulgaria is set to establish its emergency air assistance service by the end of May, marking a significant step forward in the country's healthcare infrastructure. According to reports from the company supplying the helicopters, the training of pilots designated to operate the medical helicopter will be completed by May 2nd.

During the strike, only the flights provided for by the current legal framework will be served, i.e. only air ambulance services.

Today marked a significant milestone for Bulgaria's healthcare as the Minister of Health, Hristo Hinkov, officially presented the nation's inaugural medical helicopter. The unveiling ceremony highlighted eight months of dedicated efforts to ensure equitable access to emergency medical care across the country.

Bulgaria celebrates the arrival of its first air ambulance medical helicopter, completing its inaugural independent flight from Italy and now stationed at the border police air base in the bustling "Vrazhdebna" district of the capital.

Transport Minister Georgi Gvozdeikov declared the readiness of Bulgaria's inaugural medical helicopter during a recent interview on Nova TV. Gvozdeikov shared that the helicopter, designed to meet the highest standards for emergency care, is set to be transported from Italy to Bulgaria next week, with assurance from Italian manufacturers that it will arrive by the end of January.

Bulgaria marked a significant milestone as the country's inaugural air ambulance helicopter, crafted by the esteemed Italian company "Leonardo," emerged from production and was dispatched for comprehensive testing, according to an announcement by the Ministry of Health.

The Health Ministry plans to bring all ambulances run by local health centers under the National Center for Emergency Assistance (EKAB) to make emergency response more effective, especially in far-off places. The ministry also plans to make more extensive use of private means - ambulances, planes and helicopters - to deal with emergencies, by requisition, if necessary.

"The first medical helicopters are arriving in Bulgaria earlier than expected", announced the Acting Minister of Health, Dr. Asen Medzhidiev on the National Television. He specified that the procedure for leasing helicopters has already ended and was won by the Italian company, which offered a better price.

Slovenia is marking 20 years since the helicopter emergency medical service was first introduced. The service began in 2003 as a pilot project and is now an indispensable tool in the search and rescue toolbox.

The unit, dubbed the HEMS Brnik, was located at Ljubljana Airport and used Slovenian Armed Forces helicopters.

A Turkish trekker claimed that she was the target of a scam by Nepali guides who pushed her for a costly medical evacuation after getting sick from height when she was heading to the Mount Everest Base Camp.