Doctors across Greece’s public healthcare system will launch a 24-hour nationwide strike on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, following a decision by the Federation of Greek Hospital Doctors (OENGE).

The strike aims to highlight ongoing concerns over the medical wage system and chronic under-staffing in hospitals, issues that hospital unions say affect patient care and working conditions.

As part of the action, a protest rally is scheduled in Athens at 12:00 p.m. outside the Ministry of Health, drawing attention to the need for urgent reforms in the public healthcare sector.

OENGE has confirmed that local hospital unions are currently organizing meetings and various preparatory activities to ensure a coordinated nationwide strike.

Public hospital doctors’ wage are ridiculously low

The monthly salaries of doctors in the public health system are extremely reduced compared to the pas and the medical sector in Greece is the lowest paid in Europe.

The Federation of Hospital Doctors has noted that in the last 15 years the monthly salaries of doctors in the National Health System have increased by less than 1 euro per year, at best.

“The supposedly “generous” increases in monthly taxable salaries (compared to those of 2012) range from 140 euros for the newly-entered resident, 59 euros for the Senior Resident, while the monthly taxable salaries for the Senior Resident and the director are reduced compared to 2012 by 43 and 238 euros respectively.”

According to daily ethnos.gr, it is characteristic that a resident doctor receives gross salaries of 1,359 euros per month. Which means approximately 1,000 euros net.

The salaries for assistants and Senior Resident are similar, since their basic gross salary is 1,658 euros.

After the first year, the amount increases to 1,713 euros gross.

It should be noted that the salaries of all doctors in the National Health System are supplemented by a hospital allowance of 400 euros gross.

In contrast to Greek doctors, their colleagues in Germany and Britain are paid much more money, which of course makes these markets more attractive to the scientific world.

That is why many Greek doctors migrate to other European countries in order to have a better professional and financial future.

For example, in the hospitals of the public system in Germany (Municipal), a resident doctor can receive a gross salary of even 4,600 euros to 6,600 euros per month, depending on which year he is in.

A Senior Medical Officer can receive a monthly salary of 9,092 euros to 10,391 euros gross.

In Britain, a newly appointed specialist doctor earns approximately £38,831 gross per year, while specialist doctors have a basic salary of £61,542 per year to £99,216.

Doctors receive similar amounts in other European countries, while Cyprus seems to have some of the highest salaries for medical staff.

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