- Title: GREECE: Hospital workers walk out to demand government reverse healthcare cuts
- Date: 1st June 2012
- Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (MAY 31, 2012) (REUTERS) HOSPITAL STAFF IN FRONT OF HEALTH MINISTRY WITH BANNER ON THE BUILDING READING 'NO TO NEEDLESS WASTE OF PUBLIC FUNDS' (GREEK) PROTESTERS TRYING TO ENTER THE MINISTRY POLICE BLOCKING PROTESTERS PATIENTS HOLDING BANNER IN SUPPORT OF HOSPITAL WORKERS PATIENT SHOUTING THROUGH MEGAPHONE, PRESIDENT OF THE UNION FOR BLIND PROTESTERS W
- Embargoed: 16th June 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Greece
- Country: Greece
- Topics: Health,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVABLNVQMKR6XZ8AFR5Q5356YWRI
- Story Text: Hospital workers from two of Athens' public hospitals walked out on Thursday (May 31) to protest against austerity measures they say has led to deep cuts in funding, services, wages, and jobs. This, ahead of an election next month that will determine the country's future in the euro zone.
The staff from Elipis and Aghios Savas hospitals stopped work in the morning at 0700gmt for five hours and marched to the health ministry in the centre of Athens.
They say they are facing shortages in medicine and medical supplies. Health care workers have already undergone wage cuts and staff reductions, while the government plans to merge hospitals to reduce state spending.
Doctors are also demanding they receive long overdue payments for overtime work carried out months ago.
Vassiliki Kalatzi, a nurse who has worked at Elipis hospital for 26 years, says the cuts are hurting patients, not just staff.
"Rooms and services are being reduced, hospital rooms, and not only that but services are being cut such as surgeries, also the staff is being reduced, also the number of doctors and nurses are being cut, visiting hours are being cut. And all these are necessary for us to do our job and to help people," Kalatzi said.
The protest comes a day after pharmacists agreed to continue their protest against the country's healthcare fund for non payment of medicines.
To avert a health crisis, the caretaker government, which was formed after an inconclusive May 6 election, met with pharmacists and public hospital doctors' unions last week and promised to settle part of the 250 million euros owed to pharmacists for prescriptions in March.
But pharmacists, who say they are unable to pay their drug suppliers due to the liquidity crunch, threatened to stop providing patients with the prescription medicines they need, unless they pay in cash upfront.
With nearly one quarter of Greece's 11 million population retired, pension payments and healthcare costs are a major burden on state coffers, which are being kept afloat by the EU/IMF bailout plan.
Pharmacists and health care workers have staged several protests against the state which has reduced health spending and imposed deep wage cuts as prescribed by international lenders. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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