Covid: Hospital Staff Union Prez alarmed by pressure on hospitals

The president of Hospital Staff Union-POEDIN, Michalis Giannakos, is sounding alarm over the situation in hospitals, since – as he claims – the number of covid cases is “increasing alarmingly”.

In his announcement, he noted that the epidemiological situation in Greece as announced on 12/7 by the Public Health Authority-EODY and notes characteristically: “Of course, the processing of the data is a mathematical equation, as they are announced weekly per million inhabitants”.

Mr. Giannakos added that we must point out “the high number of deaths compared to last year”.

And he notes that “in the week of July 4 to 10 this year, 16 deaths per million inhabitants were announced. That is, 175 deaths in one week. Last year, July 4 to 10, 2021, we had 53 deaths. Far more deaths this year than last year. That’s why we need to be careful”, he underlines, adding that “we can’t take it for granted”.

“Hospitals are under pressure”

Yesterday, 13/7/2022, continued the POEDIN president, “from the official data it appears that a total of 2,210 patients with covid are hospitalized in simple beds in hospitals. In total, 4,015 beds are available for corvid cases in public, private, military, pediatric, psychiatric hospitals.”

On 5/7/2022, as he emphasized, “1,874 patients with covid were being treated in hospitals, among a total of 3,865 beds available. Hospitalizations increased 20% in one week. Day by day hospitals are reserving more beds,” he warns.

And he concludes: “So there is pressure on the hospitals. Once again, hospital operations are being adjusted, reserving clinics for covid cases at the expense of general cases.”

“The reduced staff is under pressure”, emphasizes the president of POEDIN, noting that: “We are working this year with 10,000 less staff than last summer. Retirements, unfair suspensions without any health benefits, illnesses, etc.”