Prof. Nikoleta Traykova, MD, PhD, Vice-Rector for Project Activity at the Medical University of Plovdiv and Head of Radiology at University Hospital “St. George”, and Dr. Kiril Atliev, MD, Head of Emergency Medicine and faculty member at the same hospital and university, visited Montreal from April 15–24, 2026 as part of a collaboration led by the Canadian Red Cross (CRC), the Bulgarian Red Cross (BRC), and the Centre for Global Surgery (CGS) at the RI-MUHC.
The initiative aims to strengthen emergency and trauma care capacity in Bulgaria while supporting health systems responding to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Nearly two million Ukrainian refugees have transited through Bulgaria since the start of the conflict, placing sustained pressure on the national healthcare system. The program focuses on training, institutional partnerships, and knowledge exchange involving providers from both Bulgaria and Ukraine.
During their visit, the delegation participated in advanced trauma training and clinical exchanges at the McGill University Health Centre. Activities included the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) course, trauma simulation in the trauma bay, meetings with clinical and academic leadership, a trauma program site visit, and engagement with the Montreal General Hospital Foundation. The delegation also visited Urgences-santé to gain exposure to Montreal’s prehospital emergency care system, and attended the annual scientific meeting of the Trauma Association of Canada in Calgary.
The visit directly supports the next phase of the initiative, to be implemented in May in Bulgaria. This phase includes a Training-of-Trainers program and multidisciplinary trauma courses based on Trauma and Disaster Team Response (TDTR) and Essential Trauma Skills (ETS), both designed by CGS. These programs aim to expand local instructor capacity and strengthen frontline trauma response across hospital and prehospital settings. The training will support physicians, nurses, paramedics, and other responders, enhancing the ability of both Bulgarian and Ukrainian healthcare providers to manage severe trauma and mass-casualty events.
