Island hospitals in a state of emergency

Facilities are severely understaffed to meet local requirements and stretched to their limits in the summer with the mass arrival of tourists

By Penny Bouloutza - Kathimerini

Every summer the island hospitals reach the limits of human endurance as they have to care for and meet the health requirements of the hundreds of thousands of tourists that invade the islands. As it is, the health units are inadequately staffed and equipped to meet the requirements of even permanent residents. There are 10 hospitals in total for all the islands, not including Crete, 10 health centers and over 150 regional surgeries. Most of these are understaffed and in the Cyclades prefecture one in three positions at the health units are vacant, while in Corfu only half of the positions in the health centers have been filled. The Health Ministry has taken action to increase staff at health centers in tourist areas, recruiting personnel on eight-month contracts, in the Manpower Organization (OAED) programs and by nominating assistant doctors. Permanent positions for health staff have also been allocated. Next week, posts for 50 rural doctors will be announced to staff units in the Cyclades and Ionian islands, Halkidiki and Crete.