The large wave of doctors fleeing the Giannitsa hospital, mainly due to persistent understaffing, mirrors the situation in many district hospitals in the country.

There are two pathologists left in the mentioned hospital, and the X-ray department is also falling apart. In the past few months alone, the director of the pathology clinic and two supervising pathologists have resigned in a row. According to colleagues who left, two went abroad, and the third preferred to work in another hospital. In early December last year, five more interns decided to continue their work in other hospitals. At the same time, two pathologists were on sick leave due to overwork.

Since the work of the infirmary hung in the balance, the administration brought other specialties on duty. And what happens in these cases? That is, when a neurologist or a hematologist is anointed for a shift? As the President of Hospital Workers explains, Simos Fosteropoulos: “Assign a laboratory test and contact the pathologist if he is in the hospital at that time. If he is not in the building, they wait for him to come and then inform him of upcoming incidents. Citizens wait for inspection even for 10-12 hours“.

As for the two pathologists who remained at the clinic, according to Charalambos Apostolidis, hospital pediatrician and president of the Pella Association of Hospital Physicians, as a result they work in… four areas: in the pathology department, in the emergency department, in the clinic FROMovoid– 19 and in the oncology dispensary. “Two doctors must make 15 calls each month“, he says characteristically.

In fact, layoffs of hospitals began in October 2021, when and the departure of all doctors working in the intensive care unit led to a merger indicated intensive, with her EDessa (of the two resuscitation clinics of the prefecture, only one remained, i.e.).

In fact, both the Giannitsa Hospital and the Edessa Hospital (the other operating in Pella Prefecture) are on duty every day of the month. There are also two pathologists left in the Edessa hospital, and two privates help as far as possible on call.

Radiological problems

However, for some time, the work of the X-ray department was also under threat. The domino of problems began when a radiologist, who was suffering from health problems but could not easily leave the hospital due to lack of staff, passed out on the job.. The doctor in question is in a rehabilitation center.