SOFIA, June 28 (Xinhua) -- A healthcare committee of Bulgarian parliament on Thursday called for more investment into prophylactic and prevention.

While addressing a conference on screening and prevention of viral hepatitis and HIV in Central and Eastern Europe, Daniela Daritkova-Prodanova, Chair of the Healthcare Committee, said investment in prophylactic and prevention remained a big challenge for Bulgaria's healthcare system.

"If we do adequate prophylactic, prevention and screening, we will provide better health on the one hand and save more money on the other," Daritkova-Prodanova told the two-day event, held under the aegis of the Bulgaria's six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Healthcare Committee of the National Assembly and the country's Ministry of Health.

Citing figures from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), Daritkova-Prodanova said the expenses of treatment of hepatitis B and hepatitis C in particular have increased over the years.

In 2013, the NHIF reimbursed 13 million BGN (7.7 million U.S. dollars) for the treatment of 2,100 patients, while for the first 10 months of 2017 it paid 69.2 million BGN for 3,000 patients, of which 62 million BGN for chronic hepatitis C, she said.

"If we find a solution to the prophylactic and prevention, we can overcome the financial challenges," Daritkova-Prodanova said.

The funds earmarked for prophylactic were only 1.7 percent of the total costs of the NHIF in 2016, the National Center of Public Health and Analyses recently said.