Death of woman on Kos underscores ambulance shortage on islands

The death of a 63-year-old woman on the eastern Aegean island of Kos on Sunday has underscored serious medical service shortages on the Greek isles and promoted fresh calls from for more staff and equipment.

The woman, who had been suffering from health problems, died in the back of a pickup truck as she was being driven to the local medical center after she collapsed, while the island's only ambulance was responding to another emergency. The exact cause of her death will be determined by a medical examiner.

Responding to the incident on Tuesday, the unionist representing Kos' ambulance service (EKAV), sounded the alarm about serious shortages all over the islands and the added pressure from the summer tourism influx.

Kos, Konstantinos Tsambis told Kathimerini, has seven permanent and three temporary emergency medics when it takes 11 people to properly staff...