Kotsiopoulos: 50% of ICU beds in the territory are available for covid patients

The process of administering monoclonal antibodies to patients with covid-19, whose application has been approved by the competent scientific committee set up, is progressing smoothly.

As the Secretary General of Health Services of the Ministry of Health, Giannis Kotsiopoulos, states in APE-MPE, the patients who received them are in good health.

According to Mr. Kotsiopoulos, the 10 selected Hospitals (Sotiria, Sismanogleio, AHEPA, Papageorgiou, Lamia and the Universities of Alexandroupolis, Larissa, Ioannina, Patras-Rio, Heraklion) are completely ready to receive patients only. In the first phase, our country has procured 2,000 doses of monoclonal antibodies.

“The administration of medicines to patients whose application was approved by the competent committee started on Friday. The first patients arrived after a scheduled appointment with the Reception Hospitals “, notes Mr. Kotsiopoulos. It emphasizes the fact that the whole process is done through an electronic platform, which ensures transparency, but also the tracking of each dose administered.

It is recalled that the medical application for the administration of monoclonal antibodies to patients with COVID-19 is submitted exclusively by the treating physician of the patient, through the Electronic Prescribing System. Priority of applications will be based on the time of their submission to the electronic system and beneficiaries are patients who meet the criteria as defined by the National Committee for Public Health Protection against COVID-19 infection. These are mainly patients belonging to vulnerable high-risk groups. The doctor is able to apply for monoclonal antibodies to a patient, only if the patient is 12 years of age or older, his disease has been confirmed by PCR test, the PCR test has been performed on the patient during the last five days.

The treating physician fills in the patient details. Once the application is submitted, the patient receives an SMS on his mobile phone to confirm receipt of the application. Both the doctor and the patient are informed by SMS about the decision of the Commission, whether it is positive or negative.

Applications are evaluated by the Commission within a few hours. In cases where the administration of monoclonal antibodies is approved, patients are informed by the receiving Hospital and arrive at the appointed time of the appointment and are directed, according to the current protocols for COVID-19, to the appropriately designed infusion site. Administration is a simple procedure similar to injecting other antibodies and takes about 30 minutes. The patient stays in the special unit for about two hours for infusion and follow-up.

The business plan of the Ministry of Health for the strengthening of the NSS

Mr. Kotsiopoulos emphasizes that the Delta mutation accelerated the pandemic all over the planet by testing the resilience of even the most powerful health systems.

He emphasizes that the Ministry of Health has prepared from the beginning of the pandemic an Operational Plan that foresees different scenarios, depending on the epidemiological picture that presents each region. “We always take into account many parameters regarding the pressure that our health formations receive, their level of staffing and their general operational readiness. Let us not forget that the hospital staff has been giving a huge fight for almost two years now and we have to acknowledge the accumulated fatigue, especially in the units that treat many patients with covid. Evaluating the data each time and after first discussing with the private sector the needs that arise, we will decide whether one or more private or military hospitals need to join the services of the NSS and assist with their forces in dealing with the 4th wave. “Having as a legacy the successful cooperation between the public and the private sector last spring, I believe that we will be fully prepared to do what is necessary to take care of our fellow citizens.”

50% of ICU beds in the territory for covid patients-Vaccination the most important weapon

“Vaccination continues to be the most important weapon to stop the pandemic and decongest hospitals. Nevertheless, there is a part of the society that refuses to be vaccinated and seems to not realize that the NSS, despite its significant strengthening and the doubling of the Intensive Care Units, has finite possibilities, which it must distribute equally to all patients. The pressure we are receiving at the moment is overwhelmingly due to the need for hospitalization and often intubation of our fellow citizens who have not been vaccinated. For these fellow citizens we have allocated almost 50% of the available ICU beds in the territory, while the rest of the beds are available for patients with other diseases, such as cardiovascular or neurological diseases, as well as injuries from car accidents “.

He notes that the fullness in non covid ICUs today exceeds 80% in the territory and in Attica 90%. “For these patients, the Greek State has leased more than 160 ICU beds of the private sector and this number will continue to increase,” said the Secretary General of Health Services Giannis Kotsiopoulos in APE-MPE.

He also adds that in order to deal with the emergency situation in Northern Greece and Thessaly, “we have joined our forces, together with their staff, for the treatment of Covid patients 405 single beds and for non Covid cases 231 single beds from clinics and rehabilitation centers of the private sector. Therefore, the state will continue to do what is humanly possible to treat every sufferer. However, it must be understood that reducing the pandemic requires that, as far as we are concerned, we show a sense of social responsibility and do the three basic things: Vaccination, regular check-ups and reverent public health measures. “

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