Healthcare workers are holding a work stoppage until 15:00 in Attica and a 24-hour strike in the regions. The Panhellenic Federation of Public Hospital Workers (POEDIN) reports 4,000 vacant positions in the National Health System (ESY).
The workers point to mass resignations due to poor working conditions, burnout, frequent transfers, and low wages.
They explain that the emergency department of a major hospital sees 1,000 patients daily, with wait times exceeding 8 hours—an issue acknowledged by Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis. Less than 20% of patients visiting the ER are admitted.
Public healthcare spending in Greece stands at 5.5% of GDP, two percentage points below the EU average, according to POEDIN.
Healthcare workers also emphasize that primary healthcare centers face serious staff shortages and are often used as a source for transferring personnel to hospitals to fill vacancies.
Additionally, over 50% of patients in hospitals in Attica and Thessaloniki come from regional areas due to significant shortages in regional hospitals, which, they argue, need strengthening to serve their local populations.
Currently, Greece has 3.5 hospital beds per 1,000 residents, compared to the EU average of 5.3 beds per 1,000 residents.”
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