2024-05-04 20:06:38
Not only are the two hospitals of Ioannina not being reinforced, but they are in danger of finding themselves with fewer workers, medical and other staff, due to the small number of positions provided for in the latest announcements by the Ministry of Health.
At the “Hatzikosta” Hospital, a decrease of approximately 15 people is expected and at the University Hospital “stagnation” at the current number, not counting the retirements that will follow in the next period.
This was emphasized by the Ioannina MP of PASOK – KIN. AL. of the prefecture of Ioannina, Giannis Tsimaris, after his visit to the two hospitals, calling on the government to proceed with a substantial reinforcement of the staff, in combination with the updating of the outdated Internal Service Organizations.
“Due to understaffing and underfunding, the two hospitals are operating almost marginally. The announcements that come out and the positions that will be filled, essentially concern a staff turnover, as they will be filled by people who currently work as assistants. So the government must increase the number of positions, because retirements are also coming”, Mr. Tsimaris noted in his statements, to continue saying that the government seeks to solve the problem of understaffing by increasing private work and financial burden on patients.
“It is not possible in a state, where 10% of the citizens cannot go to the doctor because they do not have the resources, that the answer is “find them with the doctor in the afternoon”. It should be decided to prioritize health. The prime minister recently asked for “patience” in his statements. There is no patience for health. As PASOK, we believe that health should be an absolute priority, that it is a right and not a consumer good, access to the health system should be based on need and not on the basis of pocket”, emphasized Mr. Tsimaris, adding that for the this is why PASOK is asking for the support of the citizens in the European elections, as a party that has given examples of writing on public health and the welfare state.
No… the afternoon surgeries are going ahead
Despite the expectations of the government and the Ministry of Health, the afternoon surgeries do not seem to find favorable ground and above all they do not offer an acceleration of the surgeries, in order to reduce the waiting lists, which was the goal.
According to the PASOK MP, the rate of implementation is very low in the two hospitals of the city of Ioannina, but also in the rest of the country, where a total of around 200 have been performed. possibility to open evening rooms, it could also open morning rooms and give way to the people who want free treatment and it is their right. In the last five weeks or so there have been nearly 200 afternoon surgeries. It is a drop in the ocean, the wait is not going to be reduced, because this is not the appropriate solution”, stressed Mr. Tsimaris.
The work of the TEP is in danger of being lost
Finally, Mr. Tsimaris attributed the delays for the expansion of the PGNI’s TEP to wrong choices, stressing that the schedule is limited in order not to lose the 4.6 million euros from the Recovery Fund“. I hope the ministry will see to it that the project is done”, he noted, emphasizing its importance for PGNI, which is the second largest hospital in the country and serves not only Epirus, but all of northwestern Greece.