Life Force: Medical equipment to be installed immediately in the public hospitals of Attica

Visit to the Triasio Hospital, held the head of the combination «Life Force» and former Governor of Attica, Rena Dourou. Mrs Dourou saw for herself the shortcomings, delays and pending issues that are observed in the National Health System, in the midst of a pandemic crisis.

The former Regional Commissioner said:

«The hospitals of the National Health System are today, in a period of severe testing by the pandemic, the bastions of the struggle for life. A struggle where the first and foremost voice is held by those who are tirelessly on the front line. The people of public hospitals, doctors and nurses, who, with few resources, are doing the impossible, the possible. They go beyond themselves because every life, young or old, is precious. For our parents and grandparents. For our children. An irreplaceable contribution, whose recognition is the least we can do. This was the reason why the Power of Life, as the Administration in the Region of Attica, made the strategic choice to support with modern equipment all the hospitals of the NHS in Attica, confirming the need for a strong public health system with free access for all citizens. For this reason, any delay in the installation of these machines in the public hospitals of Attica is costly. The completion of the project is urgent. No delay can be justified,» observed Rena Dourou, after her meeting with the management of the Thriasio Hospital, where she visited the areas where they have already been installed:

- the digital angiographic complex (worth 600.000)
- the digital radiology and X-ray complex (worth 300.000)
- eight complete anaesthesia machines (worth 320.000)

The head of the Life Force, who also visited the Vaccination Centre of the Hospital, had a fruitful and constructive meeting, where proposals for the resolution of outstanding issues were discussed with the Governor of the Hospital, D. Antoniou, the Director of Radiology, A. Papaevangelou, P. Patelis, member of the Executive Committee of PDEDIN and the Vice President of the Employees' Union, G. Hamilakis.

Rena Dourou was informed about the delays concerning :

- in the full digital endoscopic tower
- in the full tower of laparoscopic surgery
- on 5 artificial kidney machines
- in the oxygen production unit

Because of the delays observed in public hospitals for the supply and installation of critical mechanical equipment in public hospitals in Attica, the Power of Life proceeded to file a question to the Administration of the Region.

Question of the Life Force on the unjustified delays in the support programme for public hospitals.

The Administration of the Region brings the Power of Life before its responsibilities, asking not to cancel the 41.6 million program of the Power of Life, for the benefit of public health, an initiative that does not concern a Party or a person, but the universal right of access for all to modern services of the National Health System, asks with a second question to the Administration of the Region of the Power of Life. The first question was on 17 July 2020.

In particular, the machines should have been delivered in September and October 2019, while today they are still pending:
1. 3 TESLA MRI scanner for the Athens General Hospital «EVANGELISMOS».
2. Cycle for the «METAXA» Cancer Hospital.
3. Cyclotron for the General Oncology Hospital of Kifissia «OI Aghi. ANARGI».
4. Pet CT for the General Oncology Hospital of Kifissia «OI Aghios Georgios». ANARGYROI".

With the assumption of office of the current Administration, we are faced with the following phenomenon.
An Administration that on the one hand denies the correctness of this policy while on the other hand rushes to “cap” it politically and communicatively, inaugurating in every way the medical machines installed in Attica's hospitals. The issue might not have been so important if there were no delays, which are the fault of the administration. They are mainly due to the fact that the Administration, in the first place, was late in accepting and seriously dealing with this initiative and then delayed in contacting the Attica hospitals, which in turn delayed in providing the necessary space. And the configuration of these premises is linked to the responsibilities of the government, which thus demonstrates its ideological allergy to public hospitals, which it wants to see weakened in favour of private clinics and diagnostic centres.

Thus the result of the responsibilities of the Government and the Region of Attica is the deterioration of the public health system in Attica!
Not even the exceptional circumstances of the pandemic forced the administration of the Region to speed up the process of implementing the contracts concluded. For reasons that only it knows.