Hospital

Acting PM Ludovic Orban said on Thursday evening that hospitals that have ICU sections and the capacity to provide treatment to deal with a possible increase in the number of patients infected with the new coronavirus should be prepared. "Another thing that is related to the preparation of the hospital network, to receive patients.

A coordination centre became operational on Tuesday morning to keep in touch with the public health departments and the healthcare facilities under the authority of the Health Ministry for real-time identification of the risks related to coronavirus infection and establishing required measures.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met over the weekend with Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias and other key cabinet ministers, as well as with health experts, to discuss the state's evolving response to the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19), including measures to bolster public safety and the economy to the greatest degree possible.

Greece's state hospitals will be without stretcher-bearers on Thursday as the union representing them has called a 24-hour strike to protest understaffing and a lack of state funding.

The president and board of the Union of Greek Shipowners signed on Tuesday a memorandum with the Ministry of Health for a donation that will cover the costs of renovating washrooms in Attica state hospitals and buying new bed linen and blankets for hospitals throughout the country.

Greece's three main psychiatric hospitals are reportedly in crisis mode due to an increasing influx of patients, understaffing, a lack of funding, crumbling infrastructure as well as severe equipment shortages.

At this stage, the demands of the nurses for starting salary of BGN 900-950 will not be satisfied. This was stated by Dr. Vasislav Petrov - Chairman of the Association of Regional Hospitals for BNR.

A Health Ministry bill headed to Parliament foresees a change of leadership at state hospitals with new entrants being obliged to sign a contract for performance assessment. 

More than 4.7 million patients are estimated to visit the emergency departments of Greece's understaffed and cash-strapped public hospitals every year, with doctors arguing that 60 to 70 percent of that intake could be avoided if the primary healthcare sector were better organized.

A total of BGN 55 million has been invested by the Sofia Municipality in municipal healthcare over the last four years. This was announced by Mayor Yordanka Fandakova during her visit to the renovated General Surgery Clinic at First City Hospital, for which new endoscopic equipment for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures was purchased.