Health Symposium “Air, Sea and Climate – Health Strategies” – Saint Vlas

“We are what we breathe” is the slogan under which a health symposium “Air, sea and climate – health strategies” was held on 31.08/01.09.2024 in Saint Vlas.

The organizer of the medical forum is the INSPIRO Foundation with the support of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Tourism, the Municipality of Burgas, the Municipality of Nessebar and “Dinevi Group”.

“We chose Saint Vlas as the host of the forum because of the healing air that treats lung diseases, and because of the former sanatorium there “Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov”, where thousands of children from Bulgaria with asthma and severe lung diseases were treated for nearly 50 years,” he explained for BTA Prof. Kosta Kostov, Chairman of the INSPIRO Foundation, Professor of Pulmonary Diseases at the Faculty of Medicine at Burgas University “Prof. Asen Zlatarov”, consultant of the Saint Anna University Hospital for Active Treatment in Sofia. Prof. Kostov was the moderator of the two-day forum.

The main topics discussed by over twenty medical specialists were the possibilities for sanatorium treatment of chronic lung diseases through the methods of physical and rehabilitation medicine – sea therapy, mud therapy, health tourism, swimming and problems in the respiratory system.

 The symposium started on 31.08 with a round table in the Palace Hotel of Marina Dinevi. The first session of the symposium was held on 01.09 in the conference hall of the “Admiral” complex. Part of the lectures delivered by expert lecturers from all over Bulgaria were: “Chronic diseases of the respiratory tract and lungs in children – sanatorium treatment”, “Bronchial asthma in children – sanatorium treatment”, “Long COVID-19 – physiotherapy and rehabilitation of the consequences”, “Therapeutic possibilities of sea therapy and mud therapy”, “How the state creates private healthy (dangerous) tourism”, etc.

Tsanko Tsankov, world champion and record holder in open water marathon, spoke on the topic “Swimming and respiratory system”.

“People in our city are looking forward to the theme of the sea sanatorium “Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov”. It will recall the unique experience of the medical facility, where thousands of children from Bulgaria were treated,” said the mayor of Sveti Vlas, Ivan Nikolov.

The sanatorium had special equipment for physiotherapy, a pool, baths, tangents, paraffin treatment, gyms. The health facility had hundreds of beds, and the bronchial asthma ward was particularly efficient. The children suffering from this disease lived there permanently from a very young age until completing their primary education, benefiting from the daily care of doctors, rehabilitators, nurses, laboratory assistants, teachers, educators. “The special thing in this case is that they were mainly treated with the fresh healing air, rich in iodine vapors,” the mayor explained.

“The mountain air, which descends from the mountain above Saint Vlas, mixes with the sea air and, richly ionized by the sea waves, acquires healing properties – a specific air bath is formed in which those suffering from lung diseases feel comfortable,” explained Prof. Kosta Kostov.

Associate Professor Dr. Iren Tsocheva indicated the goals for the successful implementation of the sanatorium treatment. “These are reducing symptoms, increasing functional capacity and improving activities of daily living,” she said.

In recent years, there has been an increase in cases of bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis in children, commented pediatric pulmonologist associate professor Snezhina Lazova.

Bulgaria has a successful path in the direction of health tourism, said the Deputy Minister of Tourism Irena Georgieva, who opened the second day of the forum. According to her, over 38,000 tourist registrations were registered in Saint Vlas for the period January-July.

BTA is a media partner of the scientific symposium “Air, sea and climate – health strategies”, which is under the motto “We are what we breathe”.