A doctor in a public hospital in Athens was caught on a video to ask money from a patient short before the surgery.
“100 euros is not much, we will arrange it,” the doctor, an anesthesiologist, is heard saying to the patient’s relative who also is secretly videopapes the scene with a mobile phone.
The video posted on social media triggered an uproar and also the intervention of Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis.
The video
In the approximately 90-second video, an anesthesiologist is seen asking a patient for a 100-euro “fakelaki” – little envelope as the bribe of a civil servant is known in Greece “Is it a lot? I don’t want it”
The doctor, the patient, the relative and a nurse are in the ward of a big public hospital in Athens and apparently short before an orthopedic surgery.
Patient: Tell us, how much do you want.
Doctor: I don’t want anything.
At that moment, the nurse who is near the patient’s bed moves away and the doctor tells her: ” Should we give her a 150, 100? Is that okay? Is that a lot? It’s not a lot.”
Patient: Okay.
Doctor: I don’t want it.
The patient is reportedly willing to give the money at that moment, with the doctor answering: “Not now, later. Before I take you, I will come and arrange it personally.”
The video was uploaded to social media two days ago and, naturally, has caused a wave of reactions.
The video below is by another social media user:
Το βίντεο με γιατρό να ζητά φακελάκι από ασθενή αντικατροπτίζει μια σκληρή πραγματικότητα
Απαράδεκτος ο γιατρός, απαράδεκτος και ο υπουργός που παριστάνει ότι στρουθοκαμηλίζει
Με τα φιλοδωρήματα της ΝΔ και του Αδωνι δεν αντέχει κανείς για να ζήσει pic.twitter.com/CMASY859WI— Marka2‼️ (@Marka2free) May 21, 2026
Health Minister’s intervention
The video prompted the intervention of the Minister of Health, Adonis Georgiadis, who, in a post on social media, emphasized that he has ordered an investigation and the doctor has been identified. At the same time, he announces that he has ordered the hospital administration to take all necessary actions to remove the doctor from the National Health System.
“A while ago, I was sent an unacceptable video that was posted on social media by a patient who recorded an anesthesiologist asking her for 100-150€ to do what he is obliged to provide free of charge to every patient. From the investigation that I immediately ordered, both the Hospital and the person were identified. I also ordered the Hospital Administration to immediately take all legal actions to remove this person from the National Health System,” Georgiadis wrote.
“I hate the fakelaki, an act that exploits human suffering and has nothing to do with the values that we serve in the National Health System. I am very sorry and I apologize to the patient”, the Health Minister concluded.
Media reported on mid-Thursday that as first step the doctor has been suspended.
PS Bribes in fakelaki and especially to or asked by doctors doctors is the most Greek habit to Die Hard.
Some patients do indeed want to say “Thank you” putting in an envelope 300 euros, for example, but there are doctors who demand even up to 2,000 euros under the table and tax-free, of course, leading especially poor people to desperation.
Public hospitals services are free of charge as patients finance these via thier social & health contributions.
what happened to the sacred oath that Greece was known for ??
I think the biggest problem with the fakelaki is when it is used to move people up a queue, or more importantly to leave someone languishing in a queue if they have not paid. I’ve never experienced it but I know people who have. In some cases it could apply to a life threatening situation like a transplant.
What surprises me is that there are people who are surprised by this; it’s practically an official practice. Not to mention the nurse who, on top of her medical duties, acts as a care assistant in exchange for a fakelaki.