A patient died in an Athens hospital while awaiting in vain to be transferred to a bed at the intensive care unit. The Athens Medical Doctors Association (ISA) revealed this tragic incident and sharply criticized the shortages at the public hospitals that cost human lives.
According to the ISA statement, “the patient was hospitalized fully intubated in a common hospital room at “Sotiria” hospital which is specialized for Chest Diseases. But “the patient left his last breath before being able to be transferred to a bed in ICU” what could have saved his life.
The ISA speaks of a waiting list of 50 people per day, people who need to be transferred to Intensive Care Units, warning at the same time that “many of the patients may die before an ICU-bed is found for them”, while “dozens of surgeries are being postponed due to lack of ICU beds.”
It looks as if it was the second incident of this kind in recent days.
“The problem will be exacerbated in the coming period due to the impending flu epidemic that will dramatically increase the needs,” the ISA stresses calling at the political leadership of the Ministry of Health to take the necessary steps in order to open the 200 ICU beds, which are fully equipped but remained sealed for the patients.”
What the ISA does not mention is that to open 200 ICU beds and make them fully operative for patients the hospital – and every hospital – needs enough personnel.
The SYRIZA-ANEL government had promised to hire medical and nurse personnel but so far nobody has been hired.
In the job openings published end of November 2015, for a total of 690 nurses, paramedics and administrative personnel in Greece’s public hospitals more than 25,000 people had submitted their CVs. The storm of candidates was expecting to delay the selection process. Till the hiring process concludes, the flu and the patients will be gone.
PS Never mind. The Creditors and the Greek government accountants will be pleased to have dramatically decrease the cost for the health care and eventually for pensions.
