Easter is just around the corner and the tourist season for our country will soon begin, which means that the islands will soon begin to flood with people.
However, for one more year the situation both in the health units of the islands, and in the EKAV, remain particularly problematic and precarious.
“Announcements for staff are made, but no health worker is interested. And anyone who decides to go to an island health facility to work, quits because they can’t make ends meet. With 1,850 euros for the doctor and 800 euros for a nurse and rescuer, you cannot find staff. Cost of living much higher. The salary is not even enough for the rent of the house. The agencies of the islands do not contribute with incentives to attract and stay although health is everyone’s business“, explains Michalis Giannakospresident of the Panhellenic Federation of Employees in Public Hospitals (POEDIN).
In an attempt to gather the problems that exist in the health units in 13 large islands, POEDIN did a survey and its results are disappointing.
POEDIN’s research on the state of health facilities on the islands
General Hospital – Health Center Kythira “Clover”
Only 1 attending physician, 1 pediatrician, 1 cardiologist, 1 surgeon, 1 radiologist and no one else are serving.
There is no anesthetist even for intubation, no rural doctor, no General Practitioner.
The shortages of nursing and other personnel are serious.
It is recalled that the permanent residents of the island are approximately 4,000.
At the same time, they cannot choose a personal doctor within the island. Proclamations barren.
General Hospital-Health Center Mr “Hippocrateon”
No internist is on duty. Only 1 pediatrician and 1 cardiologist serve. Announcements are made all the time but come out barren.
Syros General Hospital “Vardakeio & Proio”
It is the reference hospital for the Cyclades. It has huge shortages of doctors, nurses and other specialties.
There are 3 pathologists, 2 anesthesiologists and an anesthesiologist from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 2 cardiologists and one from the ICU helping. As a result, the MAF is underperforming.
Also, 2 nephrologists serve, of which 1 is retiring, no neurologist, no psychiatrist and their adult mental patients are examined by a child psychiatrist.
There are huge shortages of nursing staff at the moment when the necessary oncology sub-unit opens and there is a huge problem of coverage with nursing staff. The same big problem exists with technologists.
General Hospital – Health Center of Naxos
Only 1 surgeon and 1 anesthetist serve. In fact, the surgical field does not work.
There is also 1 radiologist, so the hospital does x-rays 10 days a month.
Tinos Health Center
They serve only 1 pediatrician, 1 microbiologist, 1 dentist. Nothing else.
Pathological cases are examined by the pediatrician.
Only 1 cardiologist and 4 nurses serve. Nothing else.
Amorgos Health Center
There is no pathological domain. No one serves as a pathologist, no General Practitioner. No one serves a microbiologist, no radiologist.
Only 1 pediatrician and 1 cardiologist serve.
Limnos General Hospital
Emergencies are covered by rural doctors.
1 general practitioner, 1 internist, 1 resident surgeon and 1 service card surgeon, 2 anesthesiologists, 1 cardiologist and 1 nephrologist serve in the Artificial Kidney Unit.
There are also shortages of nursing and other staff.
Leros State Hospital – Leros Hospital
The island will be without an orthopedist for the next few days, since the only one is on leave.
There are 2 surgeons, 1 anesthesiologist, 2 pediatricians, 1 of whom is resigning, 2 nephrologists, 1 of whom is resigning.
1 radiologist is also on duty and the hospital will be understaffed in the coming days due to leave. Boundary states everywhere.
Corfu General Hospital “Agia Irini”
Big problems in the pathology clinic. There are 2 resident pathologists and one with a service card. Therefore, they are not sufficient to meet the needs.
Only 2 nephrologists serve in the Artificial Kidney Unit.
There is also a big problem in the X-ray department, where 1 resident serves and 3 radiologists come and help with a service card.
The opinions of the examinations are made by the private sector.
The shortages of nursing and other personnel are serious.
Kefalonia General Hospital
Serves only 1 anesthesiologist, 2 radiologists who cannot cover the whole month.
It also serves 1 pathologist and they cover 2 more with travel, one from a Health Center and one with a service card.
General Hospital of Zakynthos “Agios Dionysios”
It serves only 1 pathologist and covers another 1 by moving from a health center. There are 2 nephrologists serving in the Artificial Kidney Unit and one is leaving in May, leaving a huge gap.
The announcements come up barren all the time.
Lefkada General Hospital
A big problem exists in the surgical field, where 1 anesthesiologist serves, he comes and covers on-calls one with a pad and anesthesiologists come and cover with transfers from other hospitals. 2 surgeons are on duty and one with a pad covers on-calls.
There are days when the hospital is understaffed in the surgical department. Only 1 pulmonologist, 1 ophthalmologist and 1 ENT are on duty.
Due to transfer to the new hospital, departments and clinics increased without reforming the organization of the old hospital.
Although there are no vacancies for nursing staff, there are large ones for midwives and other staff.
The situation of EKAV on the islands
For another summer there was no reinforcement with permanent staff (rescuers and Ambulance Crews) on the islands. It remains the same tragic picture as in previous years.
“The EKAV with constant movements from the rest of Greece to islands such as Mykonos, Samos, Paros, Tinos, Andros and Leros, the Ministry of Health tries to cover the empty shifts even the 24-hour operation of a single ambulance. The same is done on the larger islands (Chios, Kos, Santorini) for the operation of a second ambulance. Despite this, an ambulance operates on shift and on some days of the month a second one. At least to continue this year (last year it was for 1 month – 1 shift per day) the coverage of the islands with EKAB Rapid Response Motorcycles“, comments Mr. Giannakos.
Where there are Health Centers that have an ambulance instead of hiring permanent or auxiliary ambulance crews, the vacancies continue to be filled with military personnel and all kinds of health center staff, which is “illegal and dangerous for treated patients and unqualified staff“, says the president of POEDIN.
In fact, in the mutual transfers of lifeguards carried out by the EKAV administration, some lifeguards take advantage of this correct measure to be transferred from an island without being replaced.
Tags: tragic shortcomings public health islands
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