On April 14, 2026, the Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology in Utrecht, Netherlands, announced a long‑term partnership with Bulgaria’s Tsaritsa Yoanna‑ISUL in Sofia and UMHAT Sveti Georgi in Plovdiv to share expertise, train staff, and develop research and standardized patient data systems for roughly 150 children diagnosed with cancer each year in Bulgaria.
Staff from the Maxima Center will travel to Sofia and Plovdiv to share knowledge and experience, while Bulgarian healthcare professionals will visit the Dutch center for advanced training. The collaboration also aims to establish standardized patient data recording, helping evaluate treatments and improve long‑term monitoring of children.
According to the Dutch institution, approximately 80 % of children diagnosed with cancer each year in Bulgaria are treated at the two Bulgarian hospitals—under 18 years in Sofia and up to 25 years in Plovdiv. Bulgarian Minister of Health Katya Ivkova expressed support for establishing a pediatric oncology center of excellence in Sofia as part of this initiative.
