“Attikon”: Clash between police and healthcare workers during Mitsotakis’ visit

Healthcare workers at the “Attikon” University General Hospital held a protest yesterday during the visit of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis for the inauguration of two new departments [1], [2].

With the use of force and chemicals, the police prevented them from approaching the Prime Minister to inform him about staff shortages, low salaries, and poor working conditions. “They think we’ll thank them for owing us 10,000 days of leave. That we’ll thank them for our frozen wages,” said Giorgos Sideris, president of the Workers’ Union and of EINAP.

According to the Prime Minister’s press office, the new oncology unit will serve over 20,000 patients per year, 41% more compared to 2019.

The employees are demanding the abolition of the hallway beds, where 130 patients were sleeping on the day of the Prime Minister’s visit, the hiring of at least 125 nurses so that the hospital can reach safe operation levels, and the reopening of seven of the fourteen operating rooms that are currently closed due to understaffing.

The new oncology unit will serve more than 20,000 patients a year, 41% more compared to 2019, according to the Prime Minister’s press office, while in his inauguration speech, Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that the regular funding for “Attikon” had increased from €90 million to €150 million.