Emergencies and pharmacies in Bulgaria
Emergency help in Bulgaria starts with a single number: 112. Everything after that call — when to use an emergency department, what a pharmacy can hand over, how prescriptions work — depends on knowing the everyday logic of the system.
Healthcare · Last reviewed: 2026-08-16
112: one number, three services
112 is the common emergency number across the European Union and it works in Bulgaria too. The same number reaches an ambulance, the fire service and the police; you tell the operator which one you need. The call is free and works even from a phone with no credit or a locked screen. If you do not speak Bulgarian, there is a procedure for handling calls in foreign languages — but whatever language you use, giving the address first and the incident second gets help moving fastest.
Address first, incident second
Town, street and building number, then what happened. To dispatch a crew the operator needs a location, not a diagnosis.How many people, what condition
How many are affected, are they conscious, are they breathing, is there bleeding. Keep sentences short and concrete.Do not hang up
The operator may give first-aid instructions and can call back while the crew is on the way. Keep the phone reachable.
What emergency care (спешна помощ) covers
Emergency medical care exists for conditions that threaten life or the function of an organ: chest pain, stroke signs, heavy bleeding, breathing difficulty, a serious accident. It is provided regardless of health insurance status — even if your contributions have lapsed. An emergency department is not a walk-in clinic, though: a cough of several days, chronic pain or a request for a certificate belong with your GP.
The third option out of hours
Pharmacies (аптека) and how prescriptions work
Pharmacies are easy to find in Bulgaria, and larger cities have round-the-clock ones. Medicines fall into two groups: those sold without a prescription — painkillers, cold remedies, some stomach products — and prescription-only ones. Antibiotics and medication for blood pressure, diabetes and psychiatric conditions are in the second group, and a pharmacist cannot dispense them without a prescription. Prescriptions are now largely electronic: the doctor issues one in the system and the pharmacy works from your identity document.
- With an active insurance status, some medicines are reimbursed in full or in part by НЗОК and you pay the balance at the counter.
- If you bring a box from another country, note the active substance — brand names differ between countries, the substance does not.
- If you take something continuously, see a GP as soon as you settle; starting a prescription chain takes time.
- Pharmacists in Bulgaria act as a genuine first point of advice and will redirect you for minor complaints.
Names and coverage change
Frequently asked questions
Can I call 112 without speaking Bulgarian?
Yes. Emergency call centres have a procedure for foreign-language calls. Even so, giving the address you are calling from in your first sentence produces the fastest response in any language.
Can I go to an emergency department without insurance?
Emergency medical care is given regardless of insurance status. Once the emergency itself is over, the ordinary rules apply and hospital stay or follow-up treatment may be billed.
Can I buy antibiotics without a prescription?
No. Antibiotics are prescription-only and a pharmacist may not dispense them otherwise. The prescription comes from your GP or from the specialist who examined you.
Sources
The information on this page is based on the official sources listed below. Legislation changes — open the links and verify the current position.
- Единен европейски номер за спешни повиквания 112 — България — https://www.112.bg/ · 2026-08-16
- Министерство на здравеопазването — https://www.mh.government.bg/ · 2026-08-16
- Национална здравноосигурителна каса (НЗОК) — https://www.nhif.bg/ · 2026-08-16
- Your Europe — Health care in the EU — https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/health/index_en.htm · 2026-08-16