Missing doctors a headache
Health Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos demanded the resignation of the director of Volos Hospital on Saturday after a spot check by a prosecutor revealed that 15 of the 23 doctors who were meant to be on duty were actually at home. Avramopoulos, who conducted his own spot check at a hospital in Hania, Crete yesterday said he will deal strictly with cases where hospitals were found to be operating below full strength or not providing proper care to patients. The director of Volos Hospital, Evangelia Kour- teli, said the hospital operated without any problems, despite the absences. However, the deputy prosecutor, who was accompanied by policemen during his raid on Friday, said he conducted his check after written complaints from patients who claimed the hospital was always short-staffed during its duty hours. Apparently not convinced by the hospital’s argument that the 15 missing doctors were on standby, the prosecutor charged them and hospital officials with breach of duty.
