Mitsotakis: The NHS will be much stronger after the crisis

«We will get through this crisis and when we get through this crisis the National Health System will be much stronger. It will be stronger in terms of equipment, it will be stronger in terms of staff. And with good luck, when this adventure is over, together we will build the new National Health System, which our country needs so much,» Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said during his visit to the Hippocrates Hospital.

The Prime Minister referred to the expected vaccines, the vaccination plan for citizens and fake news and stressed «how important it is now that we are going to start a big vaccination campaign that above all the experts, the scientists talk about how necessary it is for everyone to take the vaccine”: “I must stress once again that the vaccine will be free of charge from the state, it will not be compulsory, but we rely on the common sense of our fellow citizens but above all on the advice that will be given above all by the experts, the doctors, to encourage as many of our fellow citizens as possible to go ahead with the vaccination in January when the big vaccination programme will start.».

New ICU and NICU beds

In a discussion with the doctors about the number of ICUs in the hospital, the Prime Minister noted that there are currently 25 ICU beds and another 30 ICU beds and 8 NICUs will be added with the donation of the Niarchos Foundation and a delivery schedule of February 26.

«This donation from the Niarchos Foundation will be a great legacy for the hospital and for the fight against COVID and for the next day. We knew from the very first moment that we had few ICU beds in our country. You know very well what a huge effort was made to develop more ICU beds during this difficult period,” he stressed.

“I speak the language of truth”

Mitsotakis said that he knows very well that the system is working in the red and said, «We are not here to embellish any situation. We are here to convey - as I said - the support to all the staff of the National Health System, especially here in Thessaloniki, in Northern Greece, which is being tested, to have a personal view of the situation, but also to speak the language of truth and optimism.

The Prime Minister toured the site where the new ICUs are being constructed, described the project as “impressive” and asked «to do everything in your power to finish it as soon as possible».

Along with the doctors« struggle, he said that citizens must also show responsibility by complying with the measures and stressed: »I hope this is the first and I hope it will be the last time we will face such a crisis and especially in the residents you have fallen into the deep but I know you are doing everything humanly possible. I really hope that we never have to face such a crisis again, but if everyone does what they can and what they should, from the doctors, the nurses, to the ordinary citizens from whom we don't ask much: We are asking them to follow the instructions of the experts, to keep their movements out of and within their homes to a minimum, to be with their family. We will get through this crisis and the sooner we get through it, the less loss of life we will have.

The doctors, during the discussion with the Prime Minister, said that they have to deal with other cases, apart from the pandemic, and Mitsotakis remarked: «That's how it is. He said. And I want to stress that it has not stopped - I have said it many times - that Greeks have not stopped getting sick from other diseases because of COVID. And it is very important that the Health System responds on the one hand to the pandemic and on the other hand to the needs of our fellow citizens, let alone our fellow citizens who are by nature vulnerable, who need regular, weekly support from the National Health System, and so we have to do both, so I don't want to forget that behind COVID there is a National Health System that deals with all the other diseases, the emergencies. I know you guys are doing a great job.’.

The NHS can and will endure

The Prime Minister thanked doctors and nurses who are fighting the battle against the pandemic on the front line and stressed: «We are deeply committed. The entire Greek society stands with respect to the medical and nursing staff. The national health system has been and is under pressure, but it is enduring and will endure.

At the same time, he said that the entire Greek society stands with respect towards the medical and nursing staff and pointed out: «We are not here to embellish any situation. We are here to convey - as I said - the support to all the staff of the National Health System, especially here in Thessaloniki, in Northern Greece, which is being tested, to have a personal view of the situation, but also to speak the language of truth and optimism.

Talking to doctors and nursing staff, he thanked them for their struggle on the front line and noted: «You are doing a great job. We are deeply indebted. The whole Greek society stands with respect to the medical and nursing staff. The National Health System has been and is under pressure. But it can and will endure. And know that it will have the full support of the state and my full personal care. A big thank you. Above all, you are sending the message that until this crisis is over, we must all be careful. We already have the first encouraging signs that the viral load is beginning to decrease somewhat, especially here in Northern Greece, but I believe that all our fellow citizens will understand that, and as a sign of respect to you above all, who are fighting this battle 24 hours a day, we must all be careful to cross the river with as few casualties as possible. Again, a big thank you and a big thank you to the children especially because I know that you are doing a great job in child psychiatry as well,» Kyriakos Mitsotakis said, who received a gift of a handicraft from the children of the child psychiatry department.

A representative of the nurses, welcoming Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said: «Mr. Prime Minister, we are honored by your presence at the Hippocrates Hospital of Thessaloniki. We hope for your further support because the staff is making superhuman efforts in order to be able to cope with the very large number of patients and they do this every day with self-sacrifice and superhuman effort».

«On your behalf I would like to say a very big thank you, especially to the staff of the Hippocrates. I know what you have done in the last few weeks. You know that the state has also stood by the hospital, has reinforced it with extra staff, this was our minimum obligation to the hospitals of the National Health System. We will overcome this adventure too. And especially for the nursing staff, a very big thank you to all nurses, to all nurses, all nurses, all over the country and especially here in Hippocrates, which was, is and will be in the front line of the battle, »replied the Prime Minister.

Visit to the EHAB

The next stop of the Prime Minister's visit was Pylaia, where he visited the EKAB's operations ward, which was modernized and has been operating in a new form for about 10 days. From the new operations room, operators can see all ICUs across Greece, from Alexandroupolis to Athens, live.

The Prime Minister spoke through the EKAB radio to all the crews on duty in Athens, Larissa, Kavala, Ioannina and throughout the Thessaloniki area. Kyriakos Mitsotakis was introduced by the President of the EKAB Nikos Papaevstathiou who said: «Good morning to all of you, I am the President of EKAB, Nikos Papaevstathiou and we have the great honor to host at the Coordinating Center of EKAB, the Branch the President of the Government, the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. I would like him to address you with a greeting to encourage you and to thank you essentially for all these things that you offer 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and to be there for our suffering fellow human beings.».

In his address to the ambulance crews, the Prime Minister said:

«Good morning, good morning from sunny Thessaloniki, from the Coordinating Center of the EKAB. I would like from the bottom of my heart and I believe on behalf of all Greek women, all Greeks, to say a very big thank you for the great work you are doing, especially in the last few weeks where the pressure on the National Health System has increased significantly.

You are well aware that your role is absolutely crucial. Greece today is essentially treated as a large health region and the safe and rapid transport of patients to the hospitals that have to treat them is absolutely crucial if we are all to be able to meet the demands of society.

From the bottom of my heart, a big thank you, to know that you enjoy the love and trust of the Greek society. And know - as I believe we have proven - that the government stands by the EKAB, by the rescuers, the doctors, the drivers, by all those who are currently surpassing themselves and are a very important cog in this great collective national effort that we are making to fight this unprecedented pandemic.».

The Prime Minister reiterated that the whole country is a single health region. “We are all one team because we have said this from the very first moment with the Minister and the General and all the executives, that basically in a pandemic crisis the country is one health region, so all the evacuations - whether by ambulance or even by air if necessary - play a crucial role so that we can use all the capabilities of the National Health System. ‘So your role is absolutely crucial, we have you in our hearts and we say a big thank you” he stressed.

The Prime Minister will be accompanied on his visit to Thessaloniki by the Minister of Health Vassilis Kikilias, the Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister and Government Spokesman Stelios Petsas and the Secretary General of the Ministry of Health Ioannis Kotsiopoulos.