Tsipras announces measures in health sector during ministry visit
The public health sector is a top priority for the coalition government, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Thursday during a scheduled visit to the Healh Ministry, his first ministerial visit following his election in January.
Speaking to ministry staff, the premier spoke of the deteriorating conditions in the health sector in Greece following years of austerity, noting that, currently, one in four Greeks did not have health insurance.
Tsipras announced the hiring of 4,500 employees, including doctors, nurses and other specialized medical staff, out of whom 700 would service understaffed areas such as western Macedonia, Thesprotia and Thrace. He also announced restructuring plans for emergency ambulance organization EKAB and the National Organisation for Medicines (EOF), among others.
He also said the health ministry was working on the development of a digital filing system for patients aimed at improving services and lowering costs.
