President of Bulgarian Medical Association on Disbandment of Coronavirus Task Force - Dr Ivan Madzharov

"The situation in our country and Europe shows that the pandemic is far from over. I don't know how or why this decision was taken, but there has to be a new structure for managing the coronavirus crisis," said President of the Bulgarian Medical Association Dr Ivan Madzharov commenting on the disbandment of the National Operational Headquarters (NOHQ).

"Briefings are not the main thing that the HQ is dealing with. In fact, a lot of work is being done and it has to be taken over by someone," he said.

"We need an Operational Headquarters - it is necessary for managing the crisis," Dr Madzharov said. 

The head of the BMA explained that NOHQ has been an expert pool comprising many specialists, including mathematicians, who develop models and give prognoses for the epidemic situation. The NOHQ included medical professionals, experts in outpatient care, as well as hospitals as such. The HQ allowed us to have a general overview of the pandemic picture, the expert revealed.

"We urgently need to stop listening to the conspiracy theorists who say that there is no epidemic and virus - because human lives are at stake," added the head of the BMA.