Sasho Klekovski met Kochani "Pulse" fire victims and outlined next treatment steps

Health Minister Sasho Klekovski met with people wounded in the fire at the so‑called "Pulse" cabaret in Kochani to review their health status and outline further medical care needed after last year’s tragedy on 16 March 2025, when more than 200 people were injured.

In a post on his official Facebook page he wrote that the state is ready to support long treatment pathways and summarized his conversation with the patients: "I announced the options and the next steps." Present at the meeting were Dr. Katerina Mirchovska and Dr. Gordana Georgieva from the Ministry of Health’s working group, whose task is to assess, advise, organise and monitor each patient’s treatments.

"This is the basis for continued care tailored to each of their needs," Klekovski added. The mayor of Kochani, Vladko Grozdanov, also attended the meeting.

Cooperation with neighbours and further clinical options

The meeting follows Klekovski’s recent visits to Belgrade and Sofia, where he held consultations with regional health authorities to clarify details for further treatment of some of the injuries sustained in the "Pulse" incident. Klekovski had announced the Kochani visit last week; specific technical details of any transfer or treatment agreements have not been released.

During his trip to Sofia the minister signed a bilateral Plan for Cooperation between the Ministries of Health of North Macedonia and Bulgaria for 2026–2028, identifying primary and specialised medical care, hospital services, prevention and control of infectious and non‑communicable diseases, epidemiological surveillance, medical statistics, emergency health response, e‑health and other mutual areas of interest as priority fields.

Klekovski and his Bulgarian counterpart Katya Ivkova also visited the University Obstetrics‑Gynecology Clinic "Maichin Dom" in Sofia, where they were received by director Prof. Dr. Ivan Kostov. According to the minister, the clinic is the largest of its kind in Bulgaria, with about 4,000 births and roughly 10,000 gynaecological interventions per year; it also has the largest premature‑birth unit and ten operating theatres. "We discussed prenatal diagnostics and neonatal screening, uro‑gynecology, robotic gynaecological surgery and oncogynecology. We explored opportunities for cooperation and exchange in neonatology and robotic surgery. Thanks for the openness to cooperate," he wrote.

Photo: Fejsbuk-profil na Sasho Klekovski