The money for healthcare is only 50 per cent of the needed, National Movement Simeon II (NMSII) member and Healthcare Committee Chairman Atanas Shterev said.

The under-financing of the committee is state policy matter, he added. Shterev proposed more money to be spent on disease prevention, Focus news agency reported. Healthcare problems will not be solved by spending larger sums on treatment, and the system should not exploit those with serious diseases.

More than 30 per sent of the healthcare funds are spent on medicines. EU states spend less than 10 to 15 per cent and African countries – more than 50 per cent. Instead, money is spent on disease prevention.

Another problem is the irregular medicine supplies for cancer patients. The reasons for the delays can be found in administration problems and corruption. The higher the price of the medicaments, the higher the corruption level, Shterev said.