NGO says 2,300 Greeks lose access to care every day
More than 2,000 Greeks a day are losing access to free or subsidized healthcare experts from the non-governmental organization Doctors of the World (also known as Medecins du Monde or MdM) have revealed.
Speaking on Friday as part of a series of events organized over the last few days in Athens to mark Greece’s tenure as European Union president, representatives from Doctors of the World warned that social exclusion is growing.
“About 873,000 people do not have access to the national health system and about 2,300 more lose access each day,” said Spanish MdM President Alvaro Gonzalez.
The head of the organization’s Greek branch, Anna Mailli, also stressed that a growing number of Greeks, rather than migrants, are turning to free MdM medical centers for care.
“Last year, 30 percent of the patients at centers in Athens were Greek, while in Perama [western Athens] the proportion reached 90 percent,” she said.
Mailli added that the organization inoculated 9,000 people last year and helped 445 pregnant women.
