The Minister of Health Adonis Georgiadis accompanied by the Deputy Minister of National Economy & Finance Nikos Papathanasis, the General Secretary of Health Services Lilian Venetia Vildiridis, the Director of the 1st Ministry of Health Olga Balaoura and the Director of the Athens Ophthalmology Clinic Apostolos I. Tseni, attended today, Thursday, November 28, 2024, the opening of the first free afternoon surgeries held at the Athens Ophthalmology Clinic.

The first three surgeries performed today at the Athens Ophthalmology Clinic concerned three women aged 85, 74 and 70 who underwent cataract surgery.

After the visit, the Minister of Health, Adonis Georgiadis, said:

“From today the free afternoon surgeries start through the Recovery Fund and I especially want to thank the co-competent Minister, Mr. Papathanasis because without his help we would not have gotten the approvals to have this funding. In the 1st Health District already today 5 hospitals have started the free afternoon surgeries, tomorrow another 6 hospitals will start and more will be added every day. In total, for the first two weeks to December 13, 2,000 free afternoon surgeries are planned. These are people who, according to the Technical Bulletin, are waiting from 4 months to years. Our aim with the action of the free afternoon surgeries is to reduce the average waiting time of the patients so that they stop suffering. The Ministry of Health has taken two big bets on patients. One is to reduce the list of surgeries and we are starting this great effort today. The second is to reduce the average waiting time at the emergency room where you will judge us from Easter onwards when we will have implemented all our decisions and they will be working. I am really sorry that the opposition parties did not support this effort and that even the need of the patients could not create a climate of consensus in the parliament. In any case, we show in practice how much we believe in the need for public health, free public health and patient care. Personally, I could not have had greater joy in politics as Minister of Health than the words of the lady inside who told me a big thank you that a suffering of 6 months ended today.”

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Deputy Minister of National Economy & Finance Nikos Papathanasis said:

“Today the afternoon surgeries begin, an initiative of the Minister of Health Mr. Adonis Georgiadis, with the support of course from Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who instructed us to redirect the resources of the Recovery Fund and European resources in general towards society. And that’s why the free afternoon surgeries are being put into practice today as part of the Recovery Fund’s support. European resources concern many, as the “Prevent” program is currently running with preventive tests for breast, cervical and colon cancer, while very soon 5.5 million Greeks will receive an SMS to get screened for cardiovascular disease. We continue our work. This year, we have the largest public investment program, as a result of the correct fiscal course of our country.”

In total, in the 1st Ministry of Health, free afternoon surgeries were performed today in the following Hospitals: Athens Ophthalmology Clinic, KAT Hospital, Alexandra Hospital, Elpis Hospital, Hippocrates Hospital, Red Cross Hospital, “Agia Sophia” Children’s Hospital and “P. and A. Sunday”.

In a Joint Ministerial Decision published today, Thursday, November 28, in DIAUGIA, the procedure, terms and conditions for the implementation of a program of pending surgeries and other invasive procedures beyond the regular operating hours of the hospitals of the National System (E.S.Y.) are determined. ).