SYRIZA President Alexis Tsipras launched a fierce attack on the way in which the coronavirus pandemic, the «failed lockdown» and the dramatic situation in hospitals while «private clinics remain covid free», in a statement after his visit to the Thriasio hospital.
Referring to the state of hospitals one year after the start of the pandemic and the situation in hospitals, particularly in the hospitals of Attica, where after a failed lockdown is once again dramatic. «This time there can be no excuses for the fact that there was no preparation and planning,» he said. Tsipras referring to the «dramatic situation of hospitals, especially in Attica».
«Since the beginning of January, during my visit to the President of the Republic, I pointed out the risk of something similar to what happened in Thessaloniki happening in Attica. That is, that the hospitals in Attica could go into red. And I asked for a meeting of the Council of Heads in order to have a plan to deal with this risk», Alexis Tsipras stressed, noting that «the government ignored this proposal and for three months put us in a new but absolutely failed and ineffective quarantine, in a lockdown failed».
«He did not take care to have the slightest plan to strengthen the NHS, especially Primary Health Care, but also to strengthen the hospitals that today once again are not only in the red but also with staff who have given it all and are deeply tired and frustrated,» the SYRIZA president stressed.
At the same time, however, while the hospitals of Attica are in the red and the NHS as a whole has reached its limits, as the Alexis Tsipras, «the government is afraid of upsetting the owners of private clinics».
«At this time there must be a serious and coherent emergency plan. And this plan must not underestimate that in addition to the covid cases there are all the other diseases. The vast majority of hospitals in Athens have been turned into covid hospitals,» Alexis Tsipras stressed and denounced the government and the Health Minister for insisting that they do not want to bother the private owners of large treatment facilities. «Private clinics are left covid free. They are not getting their hands dirty and the effort should be joint to deal with this emergency,» he added.
The president of SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance explained that there is a need for rational management of private sector hospital units and military units so that in synergy with the NHS they can channel covid cases to keep open critical clinics to operate the operating theatres.
«We are currently counting every day the number of cases and the number of our fellow citizens who are dying in hospitals from coronavirus but we don't count the number of our fellow citizens who suffer, who have complications because the surgeries are delayed. Or say they are also losing their lives because of the suspension of the surgeries by 80% for all other cases,» the Alexis Tsipras.
In addition, Mr.Tsipras placed particular emphasis on covering the shortages of nursing and medical staff, which, as he said, are known to all. «The heroic effort that these people are making to keep the system upright is known to all. But the government has not only failed to strengthen with permanent recruitment to cover the huge shortages that exist, but at the same time has not given a moral support. A moral reward and recognition of this effort,» said Tsipras, who had earlier held talks with the management and employees of the hospital.
As a typical example he cited director of the Pulmonology Department at the Thriasio who works alone with 65 patients and is 66 years old. «You realise he is exceeding his strength and of course the same is true of the nurses who are making superhuman efforts,» he said.
He said that the remaining weeks are very critical weeks for Attica and we must understand that human life is above profits. If we have not understood this yet then we are worthy of our fate, he said.
«We must recognize the supreme value that is life. And to fight the battle. The battle for the strengthening of doctors, nurses and the battle for a new NHS that will be next to the citizen with reliability and high quality health care,» concluded the Alexis Tsipras.
