Health Minister Radoslav Gaidarski said all found guilty of hospital register violations will lose their jobs.

On Sunday the minister met hospital representatives in Varna, mediapool.bg reported. He said regional health centres and health insurance funds will monitor hospital spending to prevent financial violations.

According to Health Ministry data 1.450 million patients were hospitalised in 2005. Gaidarski said the figure is likely exaggerated and measures will be implemented to prevent such violations from taking place in the future.

This year the number of hospitalised patients should not exceed one million people, Gaidarski said. The national healthcare system lacks the capacity to accommodate more patients, said he. Nearly 220 million leva can be saved from the ‘phantom’ patients, said Gaidarski.

Gaidarski said the hospital privatisation criteria are still considered.