The administration of G.N Nea Ionia Konstantopoulio “St. Olga”, according to an announcement by the Ministry of Health, after the complaints to SKAI about the conditions of hospitalization in the psychiatric ward of the hospital and the autopsy carried out by the Deputy Minister of Health, Dimitris Vartzopoulos.

According to the Ministry of Health, temporary restoration work has already begun, so that the ward is functional and conditions are humane for patients and workers.

See the report on SKAI

The announcement in detail:

“The good condition of the hospital premises, in order to ensure humane conditions of hospitalization for the patients and working conditions for the health personnel, is a self-evident obligation of the State.

Because many hospitals have aging building facilities, special emphasis has been placed on renovating and upgrading them with the allocation of significant resources from the Recovery and Resilience Fund and the NSRF. The total amount that will be allocated for the modernization of the infrastructure exceeds 1 billion euros. For the psychiatric clinics, the implementation of a program to upgrade them, totaling 3.5 million euros from the Recovery Fund, is already underway.

Despite this, and until the modernization of their infrastructures is completed, the hospital administrations and the heads of the health districts have been strongly requested to immediately deal with any problem related to the state of the sanitary facilities or minor damages in each area of ​​the hospitals with coverage of the expenditure by the Ministry of Health. This order was given by the first communication that the Minister of Health, Michalis Chrysochoidis, had with administrators and regional governors upon assuming his duties.
Unfortunately, this did not happen with the psychiatric clinic of the “Agia Olga” hospital, as a result of which an unacceptable situation is perpetuated for hospitalization areas, known for years to the administration of the hospital. By order of the Minister of Health, the administration of the hospital is suspended from its duties, while temporary restoration work has already begun, so that the ward is functional and conditions are humane for patients and workers.”

Autopsy of the of Health, Dimitris Vartzopoulos in the premises of the Psychiatric Clinic

The Deputy Minister of Health, Dimitris Vartzopoulos, went to the “Agia Olga” Hospital, after the complaints to SKAI about the tragic conditions prevailing in the premises of the psychiatric clinic, in order to ascertain the situation for himself.

“The truth must be told by its name. Here, in the Psychiatric Department of the “Agia Olga” General Hospital, there are images that offend us,” said Mr. Vartzopoulos specifically and continued:

“From the first moment that the current leadership of the Ministry took over, like the previous one, it was checked by the Minister of Health himself, in front of all the Governors of the Hospitals of the entire country, the first concern of each administration will be the maintenance of hygiene conditions, but and dignity, not only in operating theaters and laboratories, but primarily in nursing and personal hygiene areas. Which means that the current situation here is unacceptable.

The ministry has already planned and included in a specific financial program of the Recovery Fund the complete renovation of all the Psychiatric Clinics, all the General Hospitals of the country, a project that amounts to more than 3.5 million euros. The renovation will begin in the coming months and before the start of the new year. There is also the prospect of private sponsorship. All this does not justify the current situation and that is absolutely certain.

Both the Minister and I whenever necessary, but also the competent Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, which oversees the particular Hospital and the competent sub-administrator, who oversees the psychiatric structures have repeatedly emphasized and I say it and I emphasize it, that the administrations must see every part of Hospital as if it were their home” he concluded.
So, there is a specific issue of administrative oligarchy, the causes and extent of which I will examine immediately afterwards and make a recommendation to the competent Minister.