The spread of respiratory viruses in the community is great, resulting in the inseparability of hospital emergency rooms with patients with viruses.

As stated by the president of the Panhellenic Federation of Public Hospital Employees (POEDIN) Michalis Giannakos, “hospitals have been under a lot of pressure in recent days from patients with pathological and pulmonary problems. Except for patients with coronavirus which in the majority show mild symptoms, there is a large increase in patients with flu and others viruses».

Mr. Giannakos reports that the increase exceeds the 30% which shows the lack of primary care. “On holidays, weekends, nights, the primary care is down and the institution of the personal doctor has failed. Thus, all roads for patients, even for the administration of antiviral drugs for the coronavirus, lead to the on-call hospitals”, he notes.

Mr. Giannakos notes that the stand by of patients for examination in the pathology and pulmonology clinics of the on-call hospitals exceeds in many cases the 8 hours. He adds that “the hospital advanced pathology and pulmonology clinics were full. There are not enough beds to cover the patients who are finally admitted” resulting in them being hospitalized in beds of other clinics, “increasing the index of hospital infections”.

Data on hospital admissions

At the hospital in Nice yesterday, 80 patients were admitted with pathological pulmonary problems, up from about 45 a month ago.

About 100 patients visit “Evangelism” in the ward. 80-90 patients with pathological and pulmonary problems are admitted.

In “Attikon” on the last shift on January 5, 118 patients with pathological and pulmonary problems were admitted, while on December 20, 86 patients were admitted.

At “Sismanoglio” during the last shifts, 90 to 100 patients with pathological problems are examined and 30 to 35 patients are admitted.

A month ago, 80 patients with pathological problems were examined and less than 10 admissions were made.

Ippokrateio Thessaloniki is a “champion”, says Mr. Giannakos. In total, the examined patients in the TEP exceed 1,200 and the admissions of patients with pathological and pulmonary problems reach about 120.

Mr. Giannakos also refers to the problem of staff shortages, especially in regional hospitals. For example, in the prefecture of Ilia, there is a pathological clinic only in the Pyrgos hospital, where more than 60 patients with pathological problems are treated. Two pathologists serve permanently, and they commute from the health center and the Amaliada hospital.”

There are constant announcements of pathologists, who become infertile, he says, stressing that measures to strengthen the National Health Service must be taken immediately.