Avian Flu Alert: Bulgaria’s Food Safety Agency reports an influenza A (avian flu) outbreak at a livestock facility in Momino Selo, Rakovski Municipality (Plovdiv), where about 8,000 mule ducks are raised; a 3-kilometer protection zone and 10-kilometer surveillance zone are in place, with cleaning and disinfection planned. Public Health Policy: The Health Committee approved a bill to extend public procurement rules to private hospitals, aiming for more transparent and competitive spending on medicines and medical equipment. Vaccination Watch: A new study in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe finds childhood vaccination rates across much of the EU have stalled or fallen since COVID-19, with Bulgaria among countries showing recent declines. Chronic Disease Prevention: Bulgaria’s National Programme for 2026–2030 targets 1–5% lower mortality from major chronic conditions and a 5% drop in key risk factors like smoking, low activity, and overweight/obesity. Medicine Regulation: EMA’s committee finalized its review of ipidacrine-containing medicines, recommending restricted and better-defined uses for specific nerve-related conditions. Food Prices Support: The government unveiled an “inflation cheque” of €50 for over 550,000 people below the poverty line, plus fuel-related measures and subsidies for transport and key sectors.