The father of a bedridden girl started a hunger strike on Monday morning in order to raise attention to the problem of harsh cuts in Greece’s health care system. Nikos Poulkoutzis’s daughter Maria suffers from a rare disease. The girl is bedridden and in need of high medical and personal care. In addition, the girl is in need of big amount of disposable items to prevent her from being exposed to the dangers of being bedridden. Items like gloves, creams, diapers, gauze etc, that cost several hundred euros per month.
However, the Greek national health care system (EOPYY) simply cancelled the free supply of disposables items for the girl.
Due to incredible and inhuman latest cuts in the Troika-bound Greek health care system that went in effect in April, many chronic-ill patients and their relatives saw their monthly expenses skyrocket either through increased personal participation in medicine or because the health care system stopped paying for many supplies.
Nikos Poulkoutzis decided to take action when the respond of EOPYY was negative to his request for several disposable items.
After alarming the local media of Patras over the weekend, he started a hunger strike outside the local office of public administration secretariat.
While EOPYY remained adamant on its decision, help came from abroad.
Local TheBest.gr reported that several members of the Greek diaspora community Sidney, Australia, offered to help the father with the expenses.
Early afternoon Monday, local media PatrasTimes reported that EOPYY decided to continue the free supply for Maria.
It had to be a social outcry, the father’s hunger strike and exposure of the national health care system to change things.
PS unfortunately, the average Greek citizen has no other option than do something extreme to get the obvious.