Stanimir Hasurdjiev explains the key role of the National Patients' Organization (NPO) in Bulgaria and discusses the main areas that he is working on to ensure that patients are heard and can benefit from the best treatments and care available at a reasonable price.    You are working in different organizations besides the National Patients' Organization. Can you explain how these roles help serve the patients in Bulgaria? All my roles are somehow linked. First, I chair the National Patients' Organization (NPO) in Bulgaria, the biggest umbrella association with more than 80 other patients’ member associations, which expresses the views of all patients in the country. We are also the most developed patient association in the region as we are included in all the decision-making and policy making processes so we can amend the system in a way that serves the citizen. Additionally, I am happy to confirm that our country also has a piece of legislation in healthcare that establishes the nationally representative patients' organization, a crucial organization that allows patients to be involved in different institutions, discussions and committees. As a good example of that, we have one patient representative sitting at the board of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) amongst employers, government and labour unions while we have other working on the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) process to involve patients as well as avoid potential conflicts of interest.

Whatever we do in Bulgaria or in Brussels should be reflected and have a positive impact on people’s lives in Europe and especially in my country