They don’t leave hospitals because they have nowhere to go
At a time when the government is talking about modernizing the country and the prime minister about an “amazing quality of life”, the image of the hospitals shows another Greece that refutes the government’s narrative.
In particular, speaking at OPEN on Friday morning (9/12), the president of POEDIN, Michalis Giannakos, revealed that there are people with such severe financial problems that they refuse to leave hospitals when they are discharged.
“Hospitals face a major social issue that is not easily managed by social services. There are patients who are admitted, face serious financial problems and when their health is restored they refuse to be discharged. Of course, the doctors cannot throw them on the street,” said the president of POEDIN.
“Because they take low pensions they cannot afford the house expenses as a result to cut off their electricity, to have no heating or food. And those who do not have a home, the social services should take care to find a welfare unit. In Attica we have 200 accommodation places in public structures, which are full and waiting lists even reach a year. The cheapest private welfare unit costs 700 euros, even the Church. Someone on a pension of €400 cannot cope and the social services have thrown their hands up.”
Afterwards, Mr. Giannakos referred to a rather typical case. “An elderly woman, Ms. Marina at Alexandra Hospital, who receives a pension of 400 euros, the PPC cut off the electricity at her home because she owed 700 euros. To reconnect he had to give 1/10, i.e. 70 euros. The colleagues made contacts so that the woman could be discharged. Finally, the 70 euros were given, she went home and has no food or warmth,” he said.