The public prosecutor’s intervention was prompted by a publication about the deplorable hygiene and living conditions of dozens of patients at the Center for the Recovery and Rehabilitation of Children with Disabilities in Thessaloniki “Agios Dimitrios” – the Center where in November 2021 a 21-year-old patient, allegedly a victim, had lost his life beating by a nurse.

According to the controversial report, “dozens of inmates live in deplorable sanitary and living conditions inside moldy buildings, tied with straps or locked in cages! Many of them are naked and skeletal from starvation, with management and staff tolerating and encouraging this condition for years.”

The head of the Thessaloniki First Instance Prosecutor’s Office, Styliani Giailoglou, ordered a preliminary examination to establish whether criminal responsibilities are established.

According to information, the crimes under investigation are:

  • her exhibition (consecutive and consecutive),
  • her unlawful violence against minors and vulnerable persons (consecutive and consecutive) and
  • of Frhealth regulation interference.

According to the written order to the TA Pylaias, as part of the criminal investigation, the living conditions of the dependents and in this direction their parents, guardians and legal assistants will be invited to testify.

In the same order, it is requested that a health check be carried out by a competent committee at the facilities of the structure, as well as that photos included in the relevant publication be attached to the case file.

What does the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family answer?

On the occasion of the publications of the last few days, the Social Welfare Center of Central Macedonia of the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family issued a Press Release in which it states:

“-At the Annex of the “Agios Dimitrios” Center (PAAPATH) they are treated and cared for with love and respect, as a whole 78 people aged 8 to 62 years7 of which are minor children.

– All those cared for are provided with daily food that is prepared in the facilities of the Annex of the H.P.Th. “Agios Panteleimon”, according to a diet plan drawn up after the collaboration of the head of nutrition and the doctor. It is absolutely false that there is a dependent at the Centre, who is malnourished.

– The photo of the minor child that the newspaper hosts on its front page is not recent, but mainly depicts him after being hospitalized for a month due to a problem with fasting ostomy (a method of parenteral nutrition) that caused a lot of weight loss.

The child faces a health problem which requires that he be fed parenterally with high-calorie special milks, which are continuously supplied by the institution with a special contract. Gradually after discharge, his clinical picture was completely restored. The level of care of the child is certified by the mother’s statement which is available to you, with which she also expresses her regret for the instrumentalization of her child.

The publication of nude photos, especially of People with Disabilities, brutally insults their dignity. We call and beg everyone responsible, not to sacrifice the rights and dignity of our fellow human beings, on the altar of creating false and misleading impressions.

– Regarding the tragic event of the death of a patient in November 2021, the trial of the case is ongoing and the decision of the Court is awaited, therefore it would not be correct to mention anything else.

However, it is not true that there has been another similar incident and it is clarified that the patient who ended up in January 2022 was facing problems of a different nature and was never reported by anyone to have had an incident with an employee. Such sensitive matters should be treated with much more care.

– It is not true that there are patients immobilized using mechanical measures such as belts, except for one for whom temporary immobilization is carried out by order of a doctor and for reasons of his own safety, a fact of which his family environment is aware and agrees. The photo of the strap with a padlock is not from our carrier.

– In addition, there are no people confined to wheelchairs.

– All of the above was confirmed by the investigation of the National Transparency Authority carried out by a group of doctors in 2022, during which 24 patients were examined in total for which no findings of neglect were found but instead their hygiene, the hygiene of their living spaces, the diet them, their clothing and the security of their living spaces fully corresponded to the care conditions they needed.

– The clipped information conveyed in the publication, through photos of the accountability, regarding alleged negligence of care is misleading. The prescribed personal hygiene and care actions were adequately carried out from the next shift he took at 2:20 p.m. More generally, every possible effort is made, so that apartments are never left without care and supervision.

– As for the building facilities of PAAPATH “Agios Dimitrios”, the administration is trying with every means at its disposal to improve their condition, given that they are old and need multiple maintenance. A subsidy of €60,000 has been requested and approved by the Ministry for the configuration of 2 spaces.

– The further strengthening of the staff is our priority and we are in cooperation with the relevant Ministry which responds to every need and we are sure that all the necessary actions will be taken in this direction.

At the annex of “Agios Dimitrios” today, 8 doctors (2 pathologists, 1 orthopedist, 1 neurologist, 1 dentist, 1 psychiatrist, 1 pediatrician) are employed in various forms of work, who are fully informed and monitor the patients weekly and an attendance book is kept doctors. Also, the contracts of the Covid staff were renewed until 31.12.2024.

– The Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family approved for the Agency’s needs a grant of approximately 4,360,000 for the year 2024 and 5,000,000 for the year 2025, while in the previous years it was 2,681,000 in 2023 and 1,560,000 in 2022. It is done easily understood that the grant has been almost quadrupled by the Ministry of Social Cohesion & Family understanding the needs of the agency.

We are not saying that everything is perfect, nor that there are no problems. However, employees and management of the Center for Social Welfare of Central Macedonia and its structures, we make an extra effort every day to offer the best possible care to our fellow human beings who need it”.

EAD investigation after the death of a young person in care in 2021

For this particular Center, an investigation was ordered three years ago by an echelon of the National Transparency Authority (NDA), specifically after the death of a 21-year-old patient in November 2021, who allegedly fell victim of a beating by a nurse.

From the Authority’s investigation, they were found omissions and irregularities in its operationwith the consequence that the resignation of all the members of the then administration was requested (and accepted).

The audit report drawn up by the EAD, which also includes incidents of injury to the 21-year-old inmate before his death (over a period of three years), was forwarded to the First Instance Prosecutor’s Office of Thessaloniki. Evaluating the findings of the report, the Prosecutor’s Office decided to refer a total of 18 executives and workers of the Center to trial before the Single-Member Criminal Court (the trial was set for next February, after constant postponements).

For the death of the young patient, the nurse, now 57 years old, who is currently on trial at the Katerini Mixed Court for fatal bodily harm to a weak person, was charged. The trial began with the examination of witnesses and will continue on Monday, 10/21.