2024-03-19 00:00:40
The first afternoon surgery at the University Hospital of Ioannina, for a fee, took place at noon with the expectation on the one hand to reduce the long waiting lists, especially in specific clinics, and on the other hand not to be an alibi for the complete privatization of public and free health, which – anyway- the insured pay.
Thus, from the “premiere” of the afternoon surgeries in Epirus, after Athens and Thessaloniki, there was no lack of intense reactions from the trade union bodies, who held an extraordinary gathering and protest performance.
In fact, the representatives of the Union of Doctors of Epirus Hospitals, the workers, and the Prefectural Department of ADEDY had a meeting with the acting commander, director of the Medical Service, professor Spyros Voulgaris.
The first incident involved neurosurgery, while a complete program is expected to be drawn up in the next period, as it seems that there is strong interest from doctors and nurses, given that their participation is voluntary and brings them additional income.
However, the greatest “pressure” for the operation of the afternoon surgeries seems to be exerted by the patients, many of whom wait months to be operated on. With the afternoon surgeries, as long as they are able to pay the corresponding amount, they are served immediately and, at least according to the Minister of Health Adonis Georgiadis, this will lead to “decongestion” of the waiting lists in the morning surgeries as well.
On the other hand, of course, the hospital doctors of Epirus and beyond, denounce the government and the Ministry for the commercialization of health, while a large number of operating theaters remain closed mainly due to a lack of nursing staff.
According to the president of the Epirus Hospital Physicians Association, Babis Pappas, two fully equipped operating theaters are not operating at PGNI, due to a lack of nurses, which could serve around 1500 patients. Accordingly, in the entire country, approximately 300 operating theaters – approximately 30-40% of the total capacity – the majority of which are in Attica, are not operating.
“We are against this policy that establishes each patient as a customer and that legitimizes the sachet. The government is completely distorting reality”, noted Mr. Pappas, making it known that the reactions will continue. In fact, next Wednesday, at 6 pm, a broad meeting of public and private sector workers’ unions will take place at the Labor Center of Ioannina.
For the first “deconstruction” of the public and free National Health System, Maria Papoutsi spoke on behalf of the “Hatzikosta” Hospital Employees’ Association, stressing that it is unacceptable to separate patients into privileged and non-privileged ones. “Health workers are not entrepreneurs,” noted Mrs. Papoutsi. Afternoon clinics are expected in the next period, depending on the availability of staff and rooms, and at the “Hatzikosta” hospital.
The Prefectural Department of ADEDY also expresses its opposition to the policy followed by the government and the leadership of the Ministry of Health, with the president Christos Griva stressing that the workers are against the privatization policies of the National Health System.
“The government of ND is moving ever deeper into the privatization of Public Health, through the establishment of private surgeries in the evening. In fact, the Minister of Health, Mr. Adonis Georgiadis, in order to defend the policy of dismantling public hospitals, sets up a show, without a trace of shame, with photos and cameras together with citizens who have just been operated on. The implementation of private afternoon surgeries, on the one hand, circumvents the working hours of doctors and nurses as they will be forced to work 12 and 14 hours and on the other hand, citizens are required to pay for their health care in “public” hospitals”, he said, adding that ADEDY supports the mobilizations for full-day operation of hospitals with permanent recruitment of health personnel, real salary increases, opening and operation of all closed surgical clinics.
“The NHS will neither be reborn nor destroyed”
The president of the Panhellenic Medical Association Thanasis Hexadaktilos was in Ioannina, coincidentally on the day of the planning of the first afternoon surgery.
Asked about this, he noted that there are reactions as there were 23 years ago with the operation of the afternoon clinics. “We believe that afternoon surgeries are not what will regenerate the NHS, nor will they destroy it. It will be one more option for patients, which over time will exist as a normality. Calmness and let those who want and can take advantage of this possibility to do so”, noted Mr. Exadaktylos, adding that the full morning operation of the surgeries should also be ensured.
“If we see sparse lists in the morning and dense in the afternoon, something will go wrong there. I am sure that the ministry, like us, will have it under its supervision. Because one should not be pushed into something that one does not want or is beyond one’s strength,” he noted.