Building GARD in Bulgaria

T. A. Popov

Union of Bulgarian Medical Societies (UBMS)

ted.popov@gmail.com

Balkan

Peninsula

-

political

map

BG

111,000 sq. km

Sofia

Population: 7,965,000

Physicians:

Total number of physicians: 33,300

• GPs: 5,600

• Allergologists: 142

• Pulmonologists: 324

• Pediatricians: 850

• Otorhinolaryngologists: 290

Prerequisites favouring the

adoption of GARD:

Recent epidemiological studies pointing

to a higher than expected prevalence of

respiratory symptoms, asthma and

allergic rhinitis in Bulgaria.

Union of the Bulgarian Medical Societies

Съюз на българските медицински дружества

71 societies

Ministry

of

Health

Industry

Parliamentary

Health

Commission

14,000 members

Universities

Official launch:

March 2007

Jean Bousquet held talks in the

Bulgarian Ministry of Health

GARD was presented at a press

conference

Activities since the launch:

�GARD’s Vision & Goal discussed and adopted at

meetings of the boards of the leading societies:

� Bulgarian Society of Allergology (BSA)

� Bulgarian Society of Pulmonology (BSP)

� Special BoD of UBMS meeting held:

� GARD accepted as a priority activity of UBMS

�Contacts made in the MoH and the Bulgarian WHO

responsible official.

�GARD sessions during the congresses of BSA and BSP