The Recovery Fund to strengthen the Greek national health system

One of the reforms with a strong social and economic footprint that was included by decision of the competent Interministerial Committee in the Strategic Contracts Development Program is the one that concerns the primary health care system.

The specific reform of the Ministry of Health has secured funding from the resources of the Recovery and Resilience Fund (“Greece 2.0” plan).

The total budget exceeds 300 million euros and will “run” under the responsibility of the new Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF) and, more specifically, the Project Preparation Facility (PPF).

In particular, PPF, under the former Secretary General for Trade and Consumer Protection of the Ministry of Development and Investment, will not just help because of the experience and know-how of HRADF executives, but it will try, through specific procedures and actions, to do the needful and achieve the necessary project maturity, to form the framework for the relevant tender (or the relevant tenders) and to monitor even the small details of the execution of the contracts of these projects and, more specifically, of its 5 sub-projects.

The project

The project provides:

a) the implementation of upgrades and energy efficient renovations, as well as energy efficient measures in terms of public infrastructure and medical equipment at least 50% of the total number of Health Centers in the country (156 out of a total of 312);

b) the implementation of administrative and organizational restructuring to create a unified model of care and retraining of staff so as to act effectively as first-line care;

(c) extending the availability of  family medicine curricula to be offered by at least 75% of medical schools, and the introduction of family medicine into all Medical curricula by the fourth quarter of 2022; and

d) The development of an integrated care system by establishing a framework for disease management. In fact, as it became known, the possibility of some of the sub-projects to proceed with PPPs is being investigated.

The 5 sub-projects of this reform project should be completed in 2025.