Healthcare and education are understaffed

The domains of healthcare and education are considerably understaffed in Greece in comparison with the average levels in other European Union member-states, which according to a special study by the Fiscal Council is partly attributed to the economic crisis.

Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) figures show that employment in the public sector fell from 1 million people in 2009 to 800,000 in 2017, while the number of workers in the private sector shrank from 3.56 million in 2008 to 2.95 million last year.

Eurostat data on education show 3,223 education workers per 100,000 inhabitants in Greece in 2017, against a eurozone average of 3,681, while in healthcare workers came to just 2,524 people per 100,000 inhabitants in Greece compared to an average of 5,973 workers per 100,000 inhabitants in the eurozone last year.