Sasho Klekovski: I will act on unnecessary heart surgery report after security clearance

Health Minister Sasho Klekovski said he cannot launch formal action on the report into unnecessary heart operations until he obtains a security clearance.

“Of course the Government has a conclusion, it's just that I cannot act at the moment because I still don't have a state security certificate, that is, a security certificate. I have applied, I passed the interview and I expect that once the legal conditions are created I will do it, as I have done in all previous cases where we have suspicions of criminal activity,” Klekovski said when asked by reporters after visiting a testing point at the Institute of Public Health.

The report and the experts' findings

The report on alleged unnecessary cardiac surgeries was discussed at a closed session of the Government several months ago. The case was first raised publicly by interventional cardiologist Sashko Kedev, who said some heart operations had been performed without medical need.

The Ministry of Health assembled a domestic commission of experts to review suspicious patient files. That panel included clinicians from both private and public hospitals as well as representatives of the Ministry and the Health Insurance Fund. Their findings were later reviewed by three foreign specialists who concluded that at least nine operations were unnecessary.

Klekovski also reminded that he had already said in July, while he was still head of the Health Insurance Fund, that the report had been adopted at a Government session. He now says he has applied for the required clearance and completed the interview stage.

Until the security certificate is issued, Klekovski said he will be unable to take the investigative or administrative steps he would otherwise pursue. He added he expects to proceed once the legal and security requirements are in place.

Photo: Ministerstvo za zdravstvo