Iva Mihailova: inspectors check treatment protocol at Skopje Neurology Clinic

Health inspectors visited the Neurology Clinic in Skopje to review the treatment protocol used for Iva Mihailova, after she left the country and travelled to Bulgaria. The move follows public statements by Minister Klekovski that Mihailova fled to avoid an on-site review by a Bulgarian consilium that was due to work with Macedonian colleagues.

Officials and clinic staff give differing accounts

“The escape was due to the arrival of the Bulgarian consilium here. It was supposed to, together with Macedonian doctors, check the individual's claims. I think then matters would have come to light as they are. I am travelling to Sofia and will speak with their Ministry, because essentially there is no medical case there,” Klekovski said, announcing he plans meetings in Sofia next week connected to the injured from Kochani.

Inspectors took statements from the head of the Neurology Clinic, Jovan Bozhinovski, and from Dr. Ivan Barbov, who led Mihailova’s care. Dr. Barbov said he was not aware that legal proceedings were under way against Mihailova when, because of her Bulgarian health coverage, he told her treatment in Bulgaria could be an option — though he did not send her there, he said.

“Even if I had known, I am a doctor and I must help as much as I can, and after that hospitalization she came several times for check-ups with me and the treatments I suggested to be done abroad, namely in Bulgaria, were because she had Bulgarian citizenship and it was logical for her to have those examinations there, and in that direction my instructions for further treatment were given. Here my obligation as a doctor ends,” Dr. Ivan Barbov said.

Barbov also told inspectors that the examinations had been paid under the convention between North Macedonia and Bulgaria and that the choice of where to receive treatment is a patient’s right. He further told authorities that the suggestion to pursue care abroad had been made because, in his view, Mihailova lacked domestic health insurance — a point the clinic staff discussed during the inspection.

Clinic director Jovan Bozhinovski told inspectors no professional collegium had been convened to issue a formal consultative opinion for foreign treatment; according to him, Dr. Barbov did not request such a collegium and had been waiting for an MRI report from a private hospital.

Mihailova has said she was discriminated against because of her Bulgarian origin and that she was prevented from travelling to Bulgaria for treatment after her identity documents were seized during legal proceedings. She later left for Bulgaria, stating she had done so for health reasons.

Photo: press material from the event